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Latin Translation Notes

Or "at will", "at one's pleasure". This phrase, and its Italian (beneplacito) and
"from one who has
a bene placito Spanish (beneplácito) derivatives, are synonymous with the more common ad
been pleased well"
libitum ("at pleasure").

Or "from heaven all the way to the center of the earth". In law, can refer to the
a coelo usque ad "from the sky to the
obsolete cuius est solum eius est usque ad coelum et ad inferos maxim of property
centrum center"
ownership.

a capite ad calcem "from head to heel" From top to bottom; all the way through. Equally a pedibus usque ad caput.

Equivalent to "on the contrary" or "au contraire". An argumentum a contrario is

a contrario "from the opposite" an "argument from the contrary", an argument or proof by contrast or direct
opposite.

a Deucalione "since Deucalion" A long time ago. From Gaius Lucilius (Satires, 6, 284)

Loosely, "even more so" or "with even stronger reason". Often used to lead from
a fortiori "from the stronger"
a less certain proposition to a more evident corollary.

From Psalm 72:8, "Et dominabitur a mari usque ad mare, et a flumine usque ad
a mari usque ad
"from sea to sea" terminos terrae" (KJV: "He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from
mare
the river unto the ends of the earth"). National motto of Canada.

a pedibus usque ad Completely. Similar to the English expressions "from tip to toe" or "from top to
"from feet to head"
caput toe". Equally a capite ad calcem. See also ab ovo usque ad mala.

"from being able to

a posse ad esse "From possibility to actuality" or "from being possible to being actual"
being"

Based on observation (i.e., empirical knowledge), the reverse of a priori. Used in

mathematics and logic to denote something that is known after a proof has been
a posteriori "from the latter"
carried out. In philosophy, used to denote something that can be known from
empirical experience.

a priori "from the former" Presupposed, the reverse of a posteriori. Used in mathematics and logic to denote
 something that is known or postulated before a proof has been carried out. In
philosophy, used to denote something that can be known without empirical
experience. In everyday speech, it denotes something occurring or being known
before the event.

Said of an argument that seeks to prove a statement's validity by pointing out the
absurdity of an opponent's position (cf. appeal to ridicule) or that an assertion is
ab absurdo "from the absurd"
false because of its absurdity. Not to be confused with a reductio ad absurdum,
which is usually a valid logical argument.

ab abusu ad usum "a consequence from

Inferences regarding something's use from its misuse are invalid. Rights abused
non valet an abuse to a use is not
are still rights (cf. abusus non tollit usum).
consequentia valid"

Literally, "from the everlasting" or "from eternity". Thus, "from time

immemorial", "since the beginning of time" or "from an infinitely remote time in
ab aeterno "from the eternal"
the past". In theology, often indicates something, such as the universe, that was
created outside of time.

ab antiquo "from the ancient" From ancient times.

ab epistulis "from the letter" Or, having to do with correspondence.

abeunt studia in "through study

The motto of Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School.
mores character grows"

A legal term meaning "from without". From external sources, rather than from the
ab extra "from beyond"
self or the mind (ab intra).

ab hinc "from here on" Often rendered abhinc (which in Latin means simply "since" or "ago").

"from the bottom of More literally, "from the deepest chest". Attributed to Julius Caesar. Can mean
ab imo pectore
my heart" "with deepest affection" or "sincerely".

New Latin for "based on unsuitability", "from inconvenience" or "from hardship".

"from an inconvenient An argumentum ab inconvenienti is one based on the difficulties involved in
ab inconvenienti
thing" pursuing a line of reasoning, and is thus a form of appeal to consequences; it
refers to a rule in law that an argument from inconvenience has great weight.

Thus, "from the beginning" or "from infancy". Incunabula is commonly used in

ab incunabulis "from the cradle" English to refer to the earliest stage or origin of something, and especially to
copies of books that predate the spread of the printing press around AD 1500.

ab initio "from the beginning" "At the outset", referring to an inquiry or investigation. In literature, refers to a
story told from the beginning rather than in medias res (from the middle). In law,
refers to something being the case from the start or from the instant of the act,
 rather than from when the court declared it so. A judicial declaration of the
invalidity of a marriage ab initio is a nullity. In science, refers to the first
principles. In other contexts, often refers to beginner or training courses. Ab initio
mundi means "from the beginning of the world".

ab intestato "from an intestate" From someone who dies with no legal will (cf. ex testamento).

ab intra "from within" From the inside. The opposite of ab extra.

By a person who is angry. Used in law to describe a decision or action that is

detrimental to those it affects and was made based on hatred or anger, rather than
ab irato "from an angry man" on reason. The form irato is masculine; however, this does not mean it applies
only to men, rather 'person' is meant, as the phrase probably elides "homo," not
"vir."

From the origin, beginning, source, or commencement—i.e., "originally". The

ab origine "from the source"
source of the word aboriginal.

From Horace, Satire 1.3. Means "from beginning to end", based on the Roman
"from the egg to the main meal typically beginning with an egg dish and ending with fruit (cf. the
ab ovo usque ad mala
apples" English phrase soup to nuts). Thus, ab ovo means "from the beginning", and can
also connote thoroughness.

From Virgil's Aeneid. Refers to situations where a single example or observation

ab uno disce omnes "from one, learn all"
indicates a general or universal truth.

Refers to the founding of Rome, which occurred in 753 BC according to Livy's

ab urbe condita "from the city having count. Used as a reference point in ancient Rome for establishing dates, before
(a.u.c.) been founded" being supplanted by other systems. Also anno urbis conditae (a.u.c.) (literally, "in
the year of the founded city").

ab utili "from utility" Used of an argument.

absens haeres non "an absent person will In law, refers to the principle that someone who is not present is unlikely to
erit not be an heir" inherit.

"with the defendant

absente reo (abs. re.) In the absence of the accused.
being absent"

"let injury by words be Expresses the wish that no insult or wrong be conveyed by the speaker's words,
absit iniuria verbis
absent" i.e., "no offense". Also rendered absit injuria verbis; see also absit invidia.

absit invidia "let ill will be absent" Although similar to the English expression "no offense", absit invidia is not a
mere social gesture to avoid causing offense, but also a way to ward off the harm
that some people superstitiously believe animosity can cause others. Also
extended to absit invidia verbo, meaning "may ill will be absent from the word"
 (cf. absit iniuria verbis).

In other words, "let there not be an omen here". Expresses the wish that
"let an omen be
absit omen something seemingly ill-boding does not turn out to be an omen for future events,
absent"
and calls on divine protection against evil.

absolutum dominium "absolute dominion" Total power or sovereignty.

A legal term said by a judge acquitting a defendant following a trial. Te absolvo

absolvo "I acquit" or absolvo te, translated, "I forgive you," said by Roman Catholic priests during
the Sacrament of Confession prior to Vatican II.

abundans cautela "abundant caution does

Thus, one can never be too careful; even excessive precautions don't hurt anyone.
non nocet no harm"

An axiom stating that just because something can be, or has been, abused, does
abusus non tollit "misuse does not
not mean that it must be, or always is. Abuse does not, in itself, justify denial of
usum remove use"
use

abyssus abyssum "deep calleth unto

Also consider "hell invokes hell"; think "slippery slope."
invocat deep"

"no one ought to A legal maxim denoting that any accused person is entitled to make a plea of not
accusare nemo se accuse himself except guilty, and also that a witness is not obliged to give a response or submit a
debet nisi coram Deo in the Presence of document that will incriminate himself. A very similar phrase is nemo tenetur
God" seipsum accusare.

Accipe Hoc "Take that" Motto of 848 Naval Air Squadron, Royal Navy.

A common ending to ancient Roman comedies, also claimed by Suetonius in

acta est fabula "The play has been Lives of the Twelve Caesars to have been Caesar Augustus' last words. Applied
plaudite performed; applaud!" by Sibelius to the third movement of his String Quartet no. 2 so that his audience
would realize it was the last one, as a fourth would normally be expected.

acta non verba "actions, not words" Motto of the United States Merchant Marine Academy.

Also used in the singular, Acta Sancti ("Deeds of the Saint"), preceding a specific
Acta Sanctorum "Deeds of the Saints"
Saint's name. A common title of works in hagiography.

"The act is not guilty

actus non facit reum
unless the mind is also A legal term outlining the presumption of mens rea in a crime.
nisi mens sit rea
guilty."

actus reus "guilty act" The actual crime that is committed, rather than the intent or thought process
 leading up to the crime. Thus, the external elements of a crime, as contrasted with
mens rea, the internal elements.

In logic, to the point of being silly or nonsensical. See also reductio ad absurdum.
ad absurdum "to the absurd"
Not to be confused with ab absurdo ("from the absurd").

adaequatio
"conformity of our
intellectûs nostri cum A phrase used in Epistemology regarding the nature of understanding.
minds to the fact"
re

In legal language, used when providing additional evidence to an already

ad abundantiam "to abundance" sufficient collection. Also used commonly, as an equivalent of "as if this wasn't
enough".

ad astra "to the stars" Name or motto (in full or part) of many organizations/publications/etc.

Motto of Kansas, and other organisations. The phrase is also translated as "A
"to the stars through
ad astra per aspera rough road leads to the stars", as on the Launch Complex 34 memorial plaque for
difficulty"
the astronauts of Apollo 1.

ad astra per alia "to the stars on the A favorite saying of John Steinbeck. A professor told him that he would be an
porci wings of a pig" author when pigs flew. Every book he wrote is printed with this insignia.

To do something to appeal to the masses. Often used of politicians who make

"in order to court the
ad captandum vulgus false or insincere promises to appeal to popular interest. An argumentum ad
crowd"
captandum is an argument designed to please the crowd.

An ad eundem degree, from the Latin ad eundem gradum ("to the same step" or
"to the same degree"), is a courtesy degree awarded by one university or college
ad eundem "to the same"
to an alumnus of another. It is not an honorary degree, but a recognition of the
formal learning that earned the degree at another college.

ad fontes "to the sources" A motto of Renaissance humanism. Also used in the Protestant Reformation.

Said during a generic toast, equivalent to "bottoms up!" In other contexts,

ad fundum "to the bottom"
generally means "back to the basics".

Generally means "for this", in the sense of improvised on the spot or designed for
only a specific, immediate purpose.
ad hoc "to this"
Rather than relying on ad hoc decisions, we should
form a consistent plan for dealing with emergency
situations.
Connotations of "against the man". Typically used in argumentum ad hominem, a
logical fallacy consisting of criticizing a person when the subject of debate is the
ad hominem "to the man"
person's ideas or argument, on the mistaken assumption that the validity of an
argument is to some degree dependent on the qualities of the proponent.
ad honorem "to the honor" Generally means "for the honor", not seeking any material reward.
Going on forever. Used to designate a property which repeats in all cases in
ad infinitum "to infinity"
mathematical proof.
As in the term "chargé d'affaires ad interim" for a diplomatic officer who acts in
ad interim (ad int) "for the meantime"
place of an ambassador.
Attributed by Suetonius in Lives of the Twelve Caesars to Caesar Augustus. The
phrase means "never" and is similar to phrases like "when pigs fly". The Kalends
ad Kalendas Graecas "to the Greek Kalends"
(also written Calends) were specific days of the Roman calendar, not of the
Greek, and so the "Greek Kalends" would never occur.
Loosely, "according to what pleases" or "as you wish"; libitum comes from the
past participle of libere, "to please". It typically indicates in music and theatrical
ad libitum (ad lib) "toward pleasure"
scripts that the performer has the liberty to change or omit something. Ad lib is
specifically often used when someone improvises or ignores limitations.
A legal term referring to a party appointed by a court to act in a lawsuit on behalf
ad litem "to the lawsuit" of another party who is deemed incapable of representing himself. An individual
who acts in this capacity is called a guardian ad litem.
Motto of Oxford High School (Oxford), the University of Lisbon, Withington
ad lucem "to the light"
Girls' School and St. Bartholomew's School, Newbury, UK
Motto of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). Johann Sebastian Bach dedicated all of his
ad maiorem Dei "To the greater glory
work with the abbreviation "AMDG", and Edward Elgar's The Dream of
gloriam (AMDG) of God"
Gerontius is similarly dedicated. Often rendered ad majorem Dei gloriam.
Expresses a wish for a long life. Similar to the English expression "Many happy
ad multos annos "To many years!"
returns!"
Literally, "to the point of nausea". Sometimes used as a humorous alternative to
"to the point of ad infinitum. An argumentum ad nauseam is a logical fallacy involving basing
ad nauseam
disgust" one's argument on prolonged repetition, i.e., repeating something so much that
people are "sick of it".
ad oculos "With your own eyes." Meaning "obvious on sight" or "obvious to anyone that sees it".
"to the foot of the Thus, "exactly as it is written". Similar to the English idiom "to the letter",
ad pedem litterae
letter" meaning "to the last detail".
ad perpetuam "to the perpetual Generally precedes "of" and a person's name, and is used to wish for someone to
memoriam memory" be remembered long after death.
More loosely, "considering everything's weight". The abbreviation was
ad pondus omnium "to the weight of all
historically used by physicians and others to signify that the last prescribed
(ad pond om) things"
ingredient is to weigh as much as all of the previously mentioned ones.
Meaning "according to the harm" or "in proportion to the harm". The phrase is
used in tort law as a measure of damages inflicted, implying that a remedy, if one
ad quod damnum "to what damage"
exists, ought to correspond specifically and only to the damage suffered (cf.
damnum absque injuria).
Loosely "subject to reference", meaning that something has been approved
ad referendum "to that which must be
provisionally, but must still receive official approval. Not necessarily related to a
(ad ref) brought back"
referendum.
Thus, "to the point". Without digression.
ad rem "to the matter"
Thank you for your concise, ad rem response.
ad undas "to the waves" Equivalent to "to hell".
Said of a work that has been expurgated of offensive or improper parts. The
"for the use of the phrase originates from editions of Greek and Roman classics which Louis XIV
ad usum Delphini
Dauphin" had censored for his heir apparent, the Dauphin. Also rarely in usum Delphini
("into the use of the Dauphin").
ad usum proprium
"for one's own use"
(ad us. propr.)
"prepared for either Also the motto of Lund University, with the implied alternatives being the book
ad utrumque paratus
alternative". (study) and the sword (defending the country in war).
According to an object's value. Used in commerce to refer to ad valorem taxes,
ad valorem "to the value"
taxes based on the assessed value of real estate or personal property.
ad victoriam "to victory" More commonly translated into "for victory" this is a battlecry of the Romans.
ad vitam aeternam "to eternal life" Also "to life everlasting". A common Biblical phrase.
ad vitam aut culpam "for life or until fault" Usually used of a term of office.
addendum "thing to be added" An item to be added, especially a supplement to a book. The plural is addenda.
adequatio intellectus "correspondence of the One of the definitions of the truth. When the mind has the same form as reality,
et rei mind and reality" we think truth. Also found as adequatio rei et intellectus.
adsum "I am here" Equivalent to "Present!" or "Here!" The opposite of absum ("I am absent").
adversus solem ne "Don't speak against
I.e., don't argue the obvious
loquitor the sun"
aegri somnia "a sick man's dreams" From Horace, Ars Poetica, 7. Loosely, "troubled dreams".
aequitas "Justice" or "equality."
Thus, "at the age of". Appeared on portraits, gravestones, etc. Sometimes
extended to anno aetatis suae (AAS), "in the year of his age". Sometimes
shortened to just aetatis or aetat (aet.).
aetatis suae "of his own age"
The tomb reads Anno 1629 Aetatis Suae 46 because she
died in 1629 at age 46.
A legal term from Medieval Latin referring to a sworn statement. From fides,
affidavit "he asserted"
"faith".
More often translated as "Do well whatever you do", this phrase is used as the
motto of several Catholic schools, including Jesuit High School in Portland,
"Do what you are
age quod agis Oregon. According to the Catholic Culture dictionary, this phrase is used to
doing."
remind people to concentrate on the task at hand, rather than scattering their
attention.
Originally comparable to a to-do list, an ordered list of things to be done. Now
agenda "things to be done" generalized to include any planned course of action. The singular, agendum
("thing that must be done"), is rarely used.
Latin translation from John 1:36, where John the Baptist exclaims "Ecce Agnus
Agnus Dei "Lamb of God" Dei!" ("Behold the Lamb of God!") upon seeing Jesus, referring both to a lamb's
connotations of innocence and to a sacrificial lamb.
Said by Julius Caesar upon crossing the Rubicon in 49 BC, according to
Suetonius. The original meaning was roughly equivalent to the English phrase
alea iacta est "the dice is cast" "the game is afoot", but its modern meaning, like that of the phrase "crossing the
Rubicon", denotes passing the point of no return on a momentous decision and
entering into a risky endeavor where the outcome is left to chance.
"Let learning be
alenda lux ubi orta
cherished where liberty The motto of Davidson College.
libertas
has arisen."
An assumed name or pseudonym. Similar to alter ego, but more specifically
alias "otherwise"
referring to a name, not to a "second self".
A legal defense where a defendant attempts to show that he was elsewhere at the
time a crime was committed.
alibi "elsewhere"
His alibi is sound; he gave evidence that he was in
another city on the night of the murder.
taken from the Book of Isaiah, Chapter 40. "But those who wait for the Lord shall
alis aquilae "on eagles wings" find their strength renewed, they shall mount up on wings like eagles, they shall
run and not grow weary, they shall walk and not grow faint."
"nothing is heavy to motto of the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (Pontifícia
alis grave nil
those who have wings" Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro- PUC-RIO).
"she flies with her own
alis volat propris State motto of Oregon. Can also be rendered alis volat propriis.
wings"
Aliquantus "Rather big"
Aliquantulus "Not that big"
aliquid stat pro "something that stands
A foundational definition for semiotics
aliquo for something else"
alma mater "nourishing mother" Term used for the university one attends or has attended. Another university term,
matriculation, is also derived from mater. The term suggests that the students are
 "fed" knowledge and taken care of by the university. The term is also used for a
university's traditional school anthem.
Another self, a second persona or alias. Can be used to describe different facets or
alter ego "other I" identities of a single character, or different characters who seem representations of
the same personality. Often used of a fictional character's secret identity.
Final sentence from Aesop ascribed fable (see also Aesop's Fables) "The Frogs
"Let no man belong to
alterius non sit qui Who Desired a King" as appears in the collection commonly known as the
another that can belong
suus esse potest "Anonymus Neveleti" (fable "XXIb. De ranis a Iove querentibus regem"). Motto
to himself"
of Paracelsus. Usually attributed to Cicero.
alterum non laedere "to not wound another" One of Justinian I's three basic legal precepts.
Sometimes rendered with the gender-neutral alumn or alum in English. A
graduate or former student of a school, college or university. Alumna (pl.
alumna or alumnae) is a female pupil, and alumnus (pl. alumni) is a male pupil—alumni is
"pupil"
alumnus generally used for a group of both males and females. The word derives from
alere, "to nourish", a graduate being someone who was raised and taken care of at
the school (cf. alma mater).
An adviser, or a person who can obtain or grant access to the favour of powerful
group, like a Roman Curia. In current U.S. legal usage, an amicus curiae is a third
amicus curiae "friend of the court"
party allowed to submit a legal opinion (in the form of an amicus brief) to the
court.
amiterre legem "to lose the law of the An obsolete legal term signifying the forfeiture of the right of swearing in any
terrae land" court or cause, or to become infamous.
amor est vitae "love is the essence of
As said by Robert B. Mackay, Australian Analyst.
essentia life"
amor et melle et felle "love is rich with both
est fecundissmismus honey and venom"
Nietzscheian alternative world view to memento mori [remember you must die].
Amor fati "love of fate"
Nietzsche believed amor fati to be more life affirming.
"love is the same for
amor omnibus idem from Virgil's Georgics III.
all"
amor patriae "love of one's country" Patriotism.
Written on bracelet worn by the Prioress in Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. See
amor vincit omnia "love conquers all"
also veritas omnia vincit and labor omnia vincit.
animus omnia vincit "courage conquers all" Motto of North Mesquite High School, Mesquite, Texas.
Also used in such phrases as anno urbis conditae (see ab urbe condita), Anno
anno (an.) "in the year"
Domini, and anno regni.
Short for Anno Domini Nostri Iesus Christi ("in the Year of Our Lord, Jesus
Christ"), the predominantly used system for dating years across the world, used
with the Gregorian calendar, and based on the perceived year of the birth of Jesus
"in the Year of the Christ. The years before Jesus' birth were once marked with a. C.n (Ante
Anno Domini (A.D.) Christum Natum, "Before Christ was Born"), but now use the English
Lord"
abbreviation BC ("Before Christ").

Augustus was born in the year 63 BC, and died AD 14.

"In the year of the
anno regni Precedes "of" and the current ruler.
reign"
Motto on the reverse of the Great Seal of the United States and on the back of the
"He Has Approved the
Annuit Cœptis U.S. one dollar bill. "He" refers to God, and so the official translation given by
Undertakings"
the U.S. State Department is "He [God] has favored our undertakings".
A recent pun on annus mirabilis, first used by Queen Elizabeth II to describe what
a bad year 1992 had been for her, and subsequently occasionally used to refer to
annus horribilis "horrible year"
many other years perceived as "horrible". In Classical Latin, this phrase would
actually mean "terrifying year". See also annus terribilis.
annus mirabilis "wonderful year" Used particularly to refer to the years 1665–1666, during which Isaac Newton
made revolutionary inventions and discoveries in calculus, motion, optics and
gravitation. Annus Mirabilis is also the title of a poem by John Dryden written in
the same year. It has since been used to refer to other years, especially to 1905,
when Albert Einstein made equally revolutionary discoveries concerning the
photoelectric effect, Brownian motion and the special theory of relativity. (See
 Annus Mirabilis Papers)
annus terribilis "dreadful year" Used to describe 1348, the year the Black Death began to afflict Europe.
As in "status quo ante bellum", "as it was before the war". Commonly used in the
ante bellum "before the war" Southern United States as antebellum to refer to the period preceding the
American Civil War.
ante cibum (a.c.) "before food" Medical shorthand for "before meals".
Said of an expression or term that describes something which existed before the
phrase itself was introduced or became common.
ante litteram "before the letter"
Alan Turing was a computer scientist ante litteram,
since the field of "computer science" was not yet
recognized in Turing's day.
ante meridiem (a.m.) "before midday" The period from midnight to noon (cf. post meridiem).
ante mortem "before death" See post mortem ("after death").
Used on pharmaceutical prescriptions to denote "before a meal". Less common is
ante prandium (a.p.) "before lunch"
post prandium, "after lunch".
Textual notes. A list of other readings relating to a document, especially in a
apparatus criticus "critical apparatus"
scholarly edition of a text.
aqua (aq.) "water"
aqua fortis "strong water" Refers to nitric acid.
aqua pura "pure water" Or "clear water", "clean water".
aqua regia "royal water" refers to a mixture of hydrochloric acid and nitric acid.
"Spirit of Wine" in many English texts. Used to refer to various native distilled
aqua vitae "water of life" beverages, such as whisky in Scotland and Ireland, gin in Holland, brandy (eau de
vie) in France, and akvavit in Scandinavia.
aquila non capit "an eagle doesn't catch
A noble or important person doesn't deal with insignificant issues.
muscam flies"
"to plough the From Gerhard Gerhards' (1466-1536) [better known as Erasmus] collection of
arare litus
seashore" annotated Adagia (1508). Wasted labour.
One who prescribes, rules on, or is a recognized authority on matters of social
arbiter elegantiarum "judge of tastes" behavior and taste. Said of Petronius. Also rendered arbiter elegentiae ("judge of
a taste").
arcus senilis "senile bow" An opaque circle around the cornea of the eye, often seen in elderly people.
Argentum album "white money" Also "silver coin". Mentioned in Domesday, signifies bullion, or silver uncoined.
For the sake of argument. Said when something is done purely in order to discuss
a matter or illustrate a point.
arguendo "for arguing"
Let us assume, arguendo, that your claim is correct.
Or "reasoning", "inference", "appeal", "proof". The plural is argumenta.
Commonly used in the names of logical arguments and fallacies, preceding
phrases such as a silentio ("by silence"), ad antiquitatem ("to antiquity"), ad
baculum ("to the stick"), ad captandum ("to capturing"), ad consequentiam ("to
the consequence"), ad crumenam ("to the purse"), ad feminam ("to the woman"),
ad hominem ("to the person"), ad ignorantiam ("to ignorance"), ad judicium ("to
argumentum "argument"
judgment"), ad lazarum ("to poverty"), ad logicam ("to logic"), ad metum ("to
fear"), ad misericordiam ("to pity"), ad nauseam ("to nausea"), ad novitatem ("to
novelty"), ad personam ("to the character"), ad numerum ("to the number"), ad
odium ("to spite"), ad populum ("to the people"), ad temperantiam ("to
moderation"), ad verecundiam ("to reverence"), ex silentio ("from silence"), and
in terrorem ("into terror").
An aesthetic ideal that good art should appear natural rather than contrived. Of
ars [est] celare artem "art [is] to conceal art"
medieval origin, but often incorrectly attributed to Ovid.[1]
Translated into Latin from Baudelaire's "L'art pour l'art". Motto of Metro-
Goldwyn-Mayer. This phrasing is a direct transliteration of 'art for the sake of art.'
ars gratia artis "art for art's sake"
While very symmetrical for the MGM logo, the better Latin word order is 'Ars
artis gratia.'
ars longa vita brevis "art is long, life is The Latin translation by Horace of a phrase from Hippocrates, often used out of
 context. The "art" referred to in the original aphorism was the craft of medicine,
short"
which took a lifetime to acquire.
From Gerhard Gerhards' (1466-1536) [better known as Erasmus] collection of
asinus ad lyram "an ass to the lyre"
annotated Adagia (1508). An awkward or incompetent individual.
"the jackass rubs the
asinus asinum fricat Used to describe two people lavishing excessive praise on one another.
jackass"
assecuratus non "the assured does not
quaerit lucrum sed seek profit but just Refers to the insurance principle that the indemnity cannot be larger than the loss.
agit ne in damno sit indemnity for the loss"
Auctoritas "authority" Referred to the general level of prestige a person had in Ancient Roman society.
audax at fidelis "bold but faithful" Motto of Queensland.
Motto of Otago University Students' Association, a direct response to the
audeamus "let us dare"
university's motto of sapere aude ("dare to be wise").
State motto of Alabama, adopted in 1923. Translated into Latin from a paraphrase
audemus jura nostra "we dare to defend our of the stanza "Men who their duties know / But know their rights, and knowing,
defendere rights" dare maintain" from the poem "What Constitutes a State?" by 18th-century author
William Jones.
From Virgil, Aeneid X, 284 (where the first word is in the archaic form audentis).
audentes fortuna "fortune favors the Allegedly the last words of Pliny the Elder before he left the docks at Pompeii to
iuvat bold" rescue people from the eruption of Vesuvius in 79. Often quoted as audaces
fortuna iuvat. Also the motto of the Portuguese Army Commandos.
The motto of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, the famous professional
audere est facere "to dare is to do"
Association Football (soccer) team based in London, England.
A legal principle of fairness. Also worded as audiatur et altera pars ("let the other
audi alteram partem "hear the other side"
side be heard too").
audio hostem "I hear the enemy" Motto of 845 NACS Royal Navy
From Horace's Odes II, 10. Refers to the ethical goal of reaching a virtuous
aurea mediocritas "golden mean" middle ground between two sinful extremes. The golden mean concept is
common to many philosophers, chiefly Aristotle.
From Virgil, Aeneid 3,57. Later quoted by Seneca as "quod non mortalia pectora
"accursed hunger for
auri sacra fames coges, auri sacra fames": "What aren't you able to bring men to do, miserable
gold"
hunger for gold!"
A common ancient proverb, this version from Terence. Indicates that one is in a
"I hold a wolf by the
auribus teneo lupum dangerous situation where both holding on and letting go could be deadly. A
ears"
modern version is "To have a tiger by the tail."
The Southern Lights, an aurora that appears in the Southern Hemisphere. It is less
aurora australis "southern dawn" well-known than the Northern Lights, or aurorea borealis. The Aurora Australis
is also the name of an Antarctic icebreaker ship.
aurora borealis "northern dawn" The Northern Lights, an aurora that appears in the Northern Hemisphere.
Indicates that the only valid possibility is to be emperor, or a similarly prominent
"either Caesar or
aut Caesar aut nihil position. More generally, "all or nothing". Adopted by Cesare Borgia as a
nothing"
personal motto.
"either by meeting or Thus, either through reasoned discussion or through war. A former motto of
aut concilio aut ense
by the sword" Chile, replaced by post tenebras lux.
aut pax aut bellum "either peace or war" The motto of the Gunn Clan.
"Either I shall find a
Aut viam inveniam
way, or I shall make Hannibal.
aut faciam
one"
"either to conquer or to
aut vincere aut mori A general pledge of "victory or death" (cf. victoria aut mors).
die"
ave atque vale "Hail and farewell!" From Catullus, carmen 101, addressed to his deceased brother.
From Suetonius' Lives of the Twelve Caesars, Claudius 21. The traditional
greeting of gladiators prior to battle. morituri is also translated as "we who are
"Hail, Caesar! The
Ave Caesar morituri about to die" based on the context in which it was spoken, and this translation is
ones who are about to
te salutant sometimes aided by changing the Latin to nos morituri te salutamus. Also
die salute you!"
rendered with imperator instead of Caesar. A poor translation here could be,
"Caesar's birds died from poor health."
ave Europa nostra "Hail, Europe, our true
Anthem of Pan-Europeanists.
vera Patria Fatherland!"
Ave Maria "Hail, Mary" A Roman Catholic prayer to Mary, the mother of Jesus.

[edit] B

Latin Translation Notes

barba tenus "wise as far as the From Gerhard Gerhards' (1466-1536) [better known as Erasmus] collection of
sapientes beard" annotated Adagia (1508). In appearance wise, but not necessarily so.

A common name in the Roman Catholic Church for Mary, the mother of Jesus. The
Beata Virgo Maria
"Blessed Virgin Mary" genitive, Beatae Mariae Virginis, occurs often as well, appearing with such words
(BVM)
as horae ("hours"), litaniae ("litany") and officium ("office").

beatae memoriae "of blessed memory" See in memoriam.

Vulgate, Matthew 5:3. The full quote is "beati pauperes spiritu quoniam ipsorum
beati pauperes "Blessed in spirit [are]
est regnum caelorum" ("Blessed in spirit [are] the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of
spiritu the poor."
the heavens" - one of the Beatitudes).

"blessed [are] those

beati possidentes Translated from Euripides.
who possess"

beatus homo qui "blessed is the man

Motto of Gymnasium Apeldoorn
invenit sapentiam who finds wisdom"

Originally from the Habsburg marriages of 1477 and 1496, written as bella gerant
bella gerant alii "let others wage war" alii tu felix Austria nube ("let others wage war; you, fortunate Austria, marry"). Said
by King Matthias

bellum omnium
"war of all against all" A phrase used by Thomas Hobbes to describe the state of nature.
contra omnes

"I drink, therefore I

bibo ergo sum
am"

"he gives twice, who

bis dat qui cito dat Thus a gift that is given quickly without hesitation is worth twice as much.
gives promptly"

bis in die (bid) "twice in a day" Medical shorthand for "twice a day".

bona fide "in good faith" In other words, "well-intentioned", "fairly". In modern contexts, often has
connotations of "genuinely" or "sincerely". Bona fides is not the plural (which
 would be bonis fidebus), but the nominative, and means simply "good faith".
Opposite of mala fide.

In law, if a person dying has goods, or good debts, in another diocese or jurisdiction
within that province, besides his goods in the diocese where he dies, amounting to a
bona notabilia —
certain minimum value, he is said to have bona notabilia; in which case, the probat
of his will belongs to the archbishop of that province.

bona officia "good services" A nation's offer to mediate in disputes between two other nations.

bona patria — A jury or assize of countrymen, or good neighbors.

bona vacantia "vacant goods" United Kingdom legal term for ownerless property that passes to The Crown.

"It is of a good
boni pastoris est
shepherd to shear his Tiberius reportedly said this to his regional commanders, as a warning against
tondere pecus non
flock, not to flay taxing the populace excessively.
deglubere
them."

bonum commune "common good of the Or "general welfare". Refers to what benefits a society, as opposed to bonum
communitatis community" commune hominis, which refers to what is good for an individual.

bonum commune "common good of a Refers to an individual's happiness, which is not "common" in that it serves
hominis man" everyone, but in that individuals tend to be able to find happiness in similar things.

Pseudo-Latin meaning "baffling puzzle" or "difficult point". John of Cornwall (ca.

1170) was once asked by a scribe what the word meant. It turns out that the original
busillis — text said in diebus illis magnis plenæ ("in those days there were plenty of great
things"), which the scribe misread as indie busillis magnis plenæ ("in India there
were plenty of large busillis").

[edit] References

1. ^ Peter Jones (2006). Reading Ovid: Stories from the Metamorphoses. Cambridge University Press, 223. ISBN
0521849012.

[edit] C

Latin Translation Notes

cacoethes scribendi "bad habit of writing" From Satires of Juvenal. An insatiable urge to write. Hypergraphia

cadavera vero "truly countless bodies" Used by the Romans to describe the aftermath of the Battle of the
innumera Catalaunian Plains.

Refers to allowing statesmanship and diplomacy to supersede declaration of

cadent arma togae "Let arms yield to the toga" war. Arms, (i.e. weapons) are to yield to the toga, a formal garment
symbolizing Rome.

caetera desunt "the rest is wanting"

calix meus inebrians "my cup makes me drunk"

An optical device used in drawing, and an ancestor of modern photography.

camera obscura "dark chamber"
The source of the word camera.

"war dogs" or "fighting

canes pugnaces
dogs"

Refers to a situation where nobody is safe from anybody, each man for
canis canem edit "dog eats dog"
himself.

a pejorative term refering (at least) to some Christian doctrines of the

incarnation of the Son of God when it asserts that humanity is capable of
capax infiniti "capable of the infinite"
housing full divinity within its finite frame. Related to the Docetic heresy
and sometimes a counterpoint to the Reformed 'extracalvinisticum.'

So aggrandized as to be beyond practical (earthly) reach or understanding

caput inter nubila
"head in the clouds" (from Virgil's Aeneid and the shorter form appears in John Locke's Two
(condit)
Treatises of Government)

It implies a command to love as Christ loved. Motto of St. Franicis Xavier

Caritas Christi "The love of Christ"
High School located in West Meadowlark Park (Edmonton).

An exhortation to live for today. From Horace, Odes I, 11.8. By far the
most common translation is "seize the day," though carpere normally
carpe diem "seize the day"
means something more like "pluck," and the allusion here is to picking
flowers. The phrase collige virgo rosas has a similar sense.

An exhortation to make good use of the night, often used when carpe diem,
carpe noctem "seize the night" q.v., would seem absurd, e.g., when observing a deep sky object or
conducting a Messier marathon.

Carthago delenda est "Carthage must be From Roman senator Cato the Elder, who ended every speech of his
destroyed" between the second and third Punic Wars with ceterum censeo
Carthaginem esse delendam, literally "For the rest, I am of the opinion that
Carthage is to be destroyed." Other translations include "In conclusion, I
declare that Carthage must be destroyed." and "Furthermore, I move for
 Carthage to be destroyed."

casus belli "event of war" Refers to an incident that is the justification or case for war.

causa mortis "cause of death"

especially used by doctors of medicine, when they want to warn each other
(e.g.: "cave nephrolithiases" in order to warn about side effects of an
cave "beware!"
uricosuric). Spoken aloud in some British public schools by pupils to warn
each other of impending authority.

cave canem "beware of the dog"

Pompeii mosaic

Found written on floor mosaics depicting a dog, at the entrance of Roman

houses excavated at Pompeii.

cave laborem "beware of work"

"beware of running out of

cave nil vino
wine"

caveat emptor "let the buyer beware" The purchaser is responsible for checking whether the goods suit his need.

Used when the writer does not vouch for the accuracy of a text. Probably a
caveat lector "let the reader beware"
recent alteration of caveat emptor.

The person signing a document is responsible for reading the information

caveat subscriptor "let the signer beware"
about the what the document entails before entering into an agreement.

The person selling goods is responsible for providing information about the
caveat venditor "let the seller beware"
goods to the purchaser.

caveat utilitor "let the user beware" The user is responsible for checking whether the goods suit his need.

"Let military power yield to civilian power," Cicero, De Officiis. See Toga,
Cedant arma togae "let arms yield to the gown"
it:Cedant arma togae
 Or simply "faster than cooking asparagus". A variant of the Roman phrase
celerius quam "more swiftly than asparagus
velocius quam asparagi coquantur, using a different adverb and an
asparagi cocuntur is cooked"
alternate mood and spelling of coquere.

In law, it is a return made by the sheriff, upon a capias, or other process to

cepi corpus "I got the body"
the like purpose; signifying, that he has taken the body of the party.

Often used in law when something is not known, but can be ascertained
certum est quod "It is certain if it is capable
(e.g. the purchase price on a sale which is to be determined by a third-party
certum reddi potest of being rendered certain"
valuer)

cessante ratione legis "When the reason for the law A rule of law becomes ineffective when the reason for its application has
cessat ipsa lex ceases, the law itself ceases." ceased to exist or does not correspond to the reality anymore.

cetera desunt "the rest are missing" Also spelled "caetera desunt".

Idiomatically translated as "all other things being equal". A phrase which

ceteris paribus "with other things equal"
rules out outside changes interfering with a situation.

charta pardonationis "a paper of pardon to him The form of a pardon for killing another man in self-defence. (see
se defendendo who defended himself" manslaughter)

charta pardonationis "a paper of pardon to the The form of a pardon of a man who is outlawed. Also called perdonatio
utlagariae outlaw" utlagariae.

"[Throw the] Christians to

Christianos ad leones
the lions!"

Christo et Doctrinae "For Christ and Learning" The motto of Furman University.

Christus Rex "Christ the King" A Christian title for Jesus.

circa (c.) or (ca.) "around" In the sense of "approximately" or "about". Usually used of a date.

In logic, begging the question, a fallacy involving the presupposition of a

circulus vitiosus "vicious circle" proposition in one of the premises (see petitio principii). In science, a
positive feedback loop. In economics, a counterpart to the virtuous circle.

citius altius fortius "faster, higher, stronger" Motto of the modern Olympics.
Clamea admittenda A writ whereby the king of England could command the justice in eyre to
in itinere per admit one's claim by an attorney, who being employed in the king's service,
atturnatum cannot come in person.

An action of tresspass; thus called, by reason the writ demands the person
clausum fregit summoned to answer to wherefore he broke the close (quare clausum
fregit), i.e. why he committed such a trespass.

claves Sancti Petri "the keys of Saint Peter" A symbol of the Papacy.

The means of discovering hidden or mysterious meanings in texts,

clavis aurea "Golden key"
particularly applied in theology and alchemy.

In law, a writ directed to the bishop, for the admitting a clerk to a benefice
clerico admittendo "about to be made a clerk"
upon a ne admittas, tried, and found for the party who procures the writ.

clerico capto per

In law, a writ for the delivery of a clerk out of prison, who is imprisoned
statutum
upon the breach of statute merchant.
mercatorum

clerico convicto
In law, a writ for the delivery of a clerk to his ordinary, that was formerly
commisso gaolae in
convicted of felony; by reason that his ordinary did not challenge him
defectu ordinarii
according to the privilege of clerks.
deliberando

clerico intra sacros

ordines constituto In law, a writ directed to the bailiffs, etc, that have thrust a bailiwick or
non eligendo in beadleship upon one in holy orders; charging them to release him.
officium

The official code of canon law in the Roman Catholic Church (cf. Corpus
Codex Iuris Canonici "Book of Canon Law"
Iuris Canonici).

"Those who hurry cross the

Coelum non animum Hexameter by Horace (Epistulae I, 11 v.27). Seneca shortens it to Animum
sea change the sky [upon
mutant qui trans debes mutare, non caelum ("You must change [your] disposition, not
them], not their souls or state
mare currunt [your] sky") in his Letter to Lucilium XXVIII, 1
of mind"

A rationalistic argument used by French philosopher René Descartes to

cogito ergo sum "I think, therefore I am."
attempt to prove his own existence.

Aborting sexual intercourse prior to ejaculation—the only permitted form

coitus interruptus "interrupted congress"
of birth control in some religions.

coitus more ferarum "congress in the way of A medical euphemism for the doggy-style sexual position.
 beasts"

collige virgo rosas "pick, girl, the roses"

"Gather ye rosebuds while ye may", 1909, by John William Waterhouse.

Exhortation to enjoy fully the youth, similar to Carpe diem, from De rosis
nascentibus (also titled Idyllium de rosis) attributed to Ausonius or Virgil.

One year with another; on an average. "Common" here does not mean
communibus annis "in common years"
"ordinary," but "common to every situation"

A term frequently used among philosophical and other writers, implying

some medium, or mean relation between several places; one place with
communibus locis "in common places"
another; on a medium. "Common" here does not mean "ordinary," but
"common to every situation"

communis opinio "generally accepted view"

Describes someone of sound mind. Sometimes used ironically. Also a legal

compos mentis "in control of the mind" principle, non compos mentis ("not in control of one's faculties"), used to
describe an insane person.

concordia cum
"in harmony with truth" Motto of the University of Waterloo.
veritate

Motto of Montreal. It is also the Bank of Montreal coat of arms and motto.
concordia salus "salvation through harmony"

[1]
"They condemn what they do
not understand" or "They
condemnant quod
condemn because they do not
non intellegunt
understand" (the quod is
ambiguous)
A required, indispensable condition. Commonly mistakenly rendered with
"condition without which
condicio sine qua non conditio ("seasoning" or "preserving") in place of condicio("arrangement"
not"
or "condition").
Thus, "compare". Used as an abbreviation in text to recommend a
confer (cf.) "bring together"
comparison with another thing (cf. citation signal).
The official name of Switzerland, hence the use of "CH" for its ISO country
Confoederatio
"Helvetian Confederation" code, ".ch" for its Internet domain, and "CHF" for the ISO three-letter
Helvetica (C.H.)
abbreviation of its currency, the Swiss franc.
coniunctis viribus "with connected strength" Or "with united powers". Sometimes rendered conjunctis viribus.
 An inconsistently applied maxim. See also consuetudo est altera lex
Consuetudo pro lege "Custom is kept before the
(custom is another law) and consuetudo vincit communem legem (custom
servatur law"
overrules the common law)
consummatum est "It is completed." The last words of Jesus on the cross in the Latin translation of John 19:30.
Despising the secular world. The monk or philosopher's rejection of a
contemptus saeculi "scorn for the times"
mundane life and worldly values.
contra spem spero "hope against hope"
contradictio in
"contradiction in terms" A word that makes itself impossible
terminis
First formulated by Hippocrates to suggest that the diseases are cured with
contraria contrariis "the opposite is cured with
contrary remedies. Antonym of Similia similibus curantur (the diseases
curantur the opposite"
are recovered with similar remedies. )
contra bonos mores "against good morals" Offensive to the conscience and to a sense of justice.
contra legem "against the law"
From Augustine's Confessions, referring to a prescribed method of prayer:
cor ad cor loquitur "heart speaks to heart" having a "heart to heart" with God. Commonly used in reference to a later
quote by John Henry Cardinal Newman. A motto of Newman Clubs.
cor meum tibi offero
"my heart I offer to you Lord
domine prompte et motto of Calvin College
promptly and sincerely"
sincere
A popular school motto. Often used as names for religious and other
cor unum "one heart"
organisations such as the Pontifical Council Cor Unum.
A phrase from Christian theology which summarizes the idea of Christians
coram Deo "in the Presence of God" living in the Presence of, under the authority of, and to the honor and glory
of God.
"in the presence of the
coram populo Thus, openly.
people"
coram nobis, coram "in our presence", "in your
Two kinds of writs of error.
vobis presence"
The name of a feast in the Roman Catholic Church commemorating the
Corpus Christi "Body of Christ" Eucharist. It is also the name of a city in Texas, Corpus Christi, Texas, and
a controversial play.
The fact that a crime has been committed, a necessary factor in convicting
corpus delicti "body of the offence" someone of having committed that crime; if there was no crime, there can
not have been a criminal.
Corpus Iuris The official compilation of canon law in the Roman Catholic Church (cf.
"Body of Canon Law"
Canonici Codex Iuris Canonici).
Corpus Iuris Civilis "Body of Civil Law" The body of Roman or civil law.
corpus vile "worthless body" A person or thing fit only to be the object of an experiment.
corrigenda "things to be corrected"
corruptio optimi "the corruption of the best is
pessima the worst"
corruptus in extremis "corrupt to the extreme" Motto of the fictional Springfield Mayor Office in The Simpsons TV-Show
Corruptissima re "When the republic is at its
publica plurimae most corrupt the laws are
leges most numerous"--Tacitus
It's the refrain from the 'Pervigilium Veneris', a poem which describes a
Cras amet qui "May he love tomorrow who
three day holiday in the cult of Venus, located somewhere in Sicily,
nunquam amavit; has never loved before; And
involving the whole town in religious festivities joined with a deep sense of
quique amavit, cras may he who has loved, love
nature and Venus as the "procreatrix", the life-giving force behind the
amet tomorrow as well"
natural world.
Credo in Unum
"I Believe in One God" The first words of the The Nicene Creed and the Apostles' Creed.
Deum
credo quia absurdum "I believe it because it is A very common misquote of Tertullian's et mortuus est Dei Filius prorsus
est absurd" credibile quia ineptum est ("and the Son of God is dead: in short, it is
credible because it is unfitting"), meaning that it is so absurd to say that
God's son has died that it would have to be a matter of belief, rather than
 reason. The misquoted phrase, however, is commonly used to mock the
dogmatic beliefs of the religious (see fideism). This phrase is commonly
shortened to credo quia absurdum, and is also sometimes rendered credo
quia impossibile est ("I believe it because it is impossible")or, as Darwin
used it in his autobiography, credo quia incredibile.
crescamus in Illo per "May we grow in Him
Motto of Cheverus High School.
omina through all things"
crescat scientia vita "let knowledge grow, let life
Motto of the University of Chicago.
excolatur be enriched"
State motto of New Mexico, adopted in 1887 as the territory's motto, and
kept in 1912 when New Mexico received statehood. Originally from
crescit eundo "it grows as it goes" Lucretius' On the Nature of Things book VI, where it refers in context to
the motion of a thunderbolt across the sky, which acquires power and
momentum as it goes.
"while I live, I trust in the
Motto of the Sisters of Loreto (IBVM) and its associated schools. A second
cruci dum spiro fido cross", "Whilst I trust in the
translation is "Whilst I trust in the Cross I have life"
Cross I have life"
cucullus non facit "The hood does not make the
William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, Scene I, Act V 48–50
monachum monk"
"Who benefits?" An adage in criminal investigation which suggests that
considering who would benefit from an unwelcome event is likely to reveal
cui bono "Good for whom?" who is responsible for that event (cf. cui prodest). Also the motto of the
Crime Syndicate of America, a fictional supervillain group. The opposite is
cui malo ("Bad for whom?").
Short for cui prodest scelus is fecit ("for whom the crime advances, he has
cui prodest "for whom it advances" done it") in Seneca's Medea. Thus, the murderer is often the one who gains
by the murder (cf. cui bono).
First coined by Accursius of Bologna in the 13th century. A Roman legal
cuius est solum eius "Whose the land is, all the
principle of property law that is no longer observed in most situations
est usque ad coelum way to the sky and to the
today. Less literally, "For whosoever owns the soil, it is theirs up to the sky
et ad inferos underworld is his."
and down to the depths."
The privilege of a ruler to choose the religion of his subjects. A regional
cuius regio, eius
"whose region, his religion" prince's ability to choose his people's religion was established at the Peace
religio
of Augsburg in 1555.
Cuiusvis hominis est
errare, nullius nisi "Anyone can err, but only the
— Marcus Tullius Cicero, Philippica XII, ii, 5.
insipientis in errore fool persists in his fault."
perseverare.
Also "blame" or "guilt". In law, an act of neglect. In general, guilt, sin, or a
culpa "fault"
fault. See also mea culpa.
cum gladiis et
"with swords and clubs" From the Bible. Occurs in Matthew 26:47 and Luke 22:52.
fustibus
cum gladio et sale "with sword and salt" Motto of a well-paid soldier. See salary.
Not to be taken too seriously or as the literal truth.
cum grano salis "with a grain of salt"
Yes, the brochure made it sound great, but such claims should be taken
cum grano salis.
The standard formula for academic Latin honors in the United States.
cum laude "with praise"
Greater honors include magna cum laude and summa cum laude.
cum mortuis in "with the dead in a dead
Movement from Pictures at an Exhibition by Modest Mussorgsky
lingua mortua language"
cura personalis "care for the whole person"
An exhortation to physicians, or experts in general, to deal with their own
cura te ipsum "take care of your own self"
problems before addressing those of others.
The question attributed to Anselm in his work of by this name, wherein he
cur Deus Homo "Why the God/Man" reflects on why the Christ of Christianity must be both fully Divine and
fully Human. Often translated "why did God become Man?"
curriculum vitae "course of life" A résumé.
custos morum "keeper of morals" A censor.
cygnus inter anates "swan among ducks"
cygnus insignis "distinguished by its swans" Motto of Western Australia.

[edit] D

Latin Translation Notes

damnatio "damnation of A Roman custom in which disgraced Romans (particularly former Emperors) were
memoriae memory" pretended to have never existed.

A loss that results from no one's wrongdoing. In Roman law, a man is not
damnum absque "damage without responsible for unintended, consequential injury to another resulting from a lawful
injuria injury" act. This protection does not necessarily apply to unintended damage by negligence
or folly.

"with due respect" or

data venia Used before disagreeing with someone.
"given the excuse"

dat deus "God grants the

Motto of Westminster School, a leading British independent school.
incrementum increase"

Trespass de bonis asportatis was the traditional name for larceny, or wrongful
de bonis asportatis "carrying goods away"
taking of chattels.

Inscription on one pound coins. Originally on 17th century coins, it refers to the
"An ornament and a
Decus Et Tutamen inscribed edge as a protection against the clipping of precious metal. The phrase
safeguard"
originally comes from Virgil's Aeneid.

descensus in "The descent into the

Down the Rabbit Hole
cuniculi cavum cave of the rabbit"

de dato "of the date" Used in the context of "As we agreed in the meeting d.d.26th Mai 2006.

Said of something that is the actual state of affairs, in contrast to something's legal
or official standing, which is described as de jure. De facto refers to the "way
things really are" rather than what is "officially" presented as the fact.
de facto "in fact"
Although the emperor held the title and trappings of
head of state, the Shogun was the de facto ruler of
Japan.
A clerk makes the declaration De fideli on when appointed, promising to do his or
de fideli "with faithfulness"
her tasks faithfully as a servant of the court.
de futuro "regarding the future" Usually used in the context of "at a future time"
Less literally "In matters of taste there is no dispute" or simply "There's no arguing
"there is not to be
de gustibus non est taste". A similar expression in English is "There's no accounting for taste".
discussion regarding
disputandum Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, without attribution, renders the phrase as de gustibus
tastes"
non disputandum; the verb "to be" is often assumed in Latin, and is rarely required.
 "again" or "a second
de integro
time"
"Official", in contrast with de facto. Analogous to "in principle", whereas de facto
de jure "by law" is to "in practice". In other contexts, can mean "according to law", "by right" or
"legally". Also commonly written de iure, the classical form.
de lege ferenda "from law to be passed"
"from law passed" or
de lege lata
"by law in force"
Also "The chief magistrate does not concern himself with trifles." Trivial matters
"The commander does are no concern of a high official (cf. aquila non capit muscas, "the eagle does not
de minimis non
not bother with the catch flies"). Sometimes rex ("the king") or lex ("the law") is used in place of
curat praetor
smallest things." praetor, and de minimis is a legal term referring to things unworthy of the law's
attention.
de mortuis aut "about the dead, either
Less literally, "speak well of the dead or not at all" (cf. de mortuis nil nisi bonum).
bene aut nihil well or nothing"
From de mortuis nil nisi bonum dicendum est, "nothing must be said about the dead
"about the dead,
de mortuis nil nisi except the good", attributed by Diogenes Laertius to Chilon. In legal contexts, this
nothing unless a good
bonum quotation is used with the opposite meaning, as defaming a deceased person is not a
thing"
crime. In other contexts, it refers to taboos against criticizing the recently deceased.
Thus, "their story is our story". Originally referred to the end of Rome's dominance.
de nobis fabula "about us is the story
Now often used when comparing any current situation to a past story or historical
narratur told"
event.
"Anew" or "afresh". In law, a trial de novo is a retrial. In biology, de novo means
newly-synthesized, and a de novo mutation is a mutation that neither parent
de novo "from the new" possessed or transmitted. In economics, de novo refers to newly-founded
companies, and de novo banks are state banks that have been in operation for five
years or less.
"be suspicious of
de omnibus Karl Marx's favorite motto. He used this to explain his standpoint: "Critique
everything, doubt
dubitandum everything in a capitalist economy".
everything"
"about every knowable
de omni re scibili et A 15th-century Italian scholar wrote the De omni re scibili portion, and a wag
thing, and even certain
quibusdam aliis added et quibusdam aliis.
other things"
"Free From Having Commonly mistranslated as "To Liberate the Oppressed". The motto of the United
De Oppresso Liber
Been Oppressed" States Army Special Forces.
de profundis "from the depths" Out of the depths of misery or dejection. From the Latin translation of Psalm 130.
In logic, de dicto statements (about the truth of a proposition) are distinguished
de re "about the matter"
from de re statements (about the properties of a thing itself).
Also Dei Gratia Rex ("By the Grace of God, King"). Abbreviated as D G REG
"By the Grace of God,
Dei Gratia Regina preceding Fidei Defensor (F D) on British pounds, and as D G Regina on Canadian
Queen"
coins.
Dei sub numine "under God's Spirit she
Motto of Princeton University.
viget flourishes"
In Catholic theology, a pleasure taken in sinful thought or imagination, such as
brooding on sexual images. It is distinct from actual sexual desire, and involves
delectatio morosa "peevish delight"
voluntary and complacent erotic fantasizing, without any attempt to suppress such
thoughts.
deliriant isti "They are mad, those A translation into Latin from René Goscinny's "ils sont fous, ces romains!",
Romani Romans!" frequently issued by Obelix in the Asterix comics.
Deo ac veritati "God and Truth" Motto of Colgate University.
Deo domuique "for God and for home" Motto of Methodist Ladies' College, Melbourne.
Deo et Patriae "for God and Country' Motto of Regis High School.
Deo gratias "thanks [be] to God" The semi-Hispanicized form Deogracias is a Philippine first name.
Deo Optimo "To the Best and Derived from the Pagan Iupiter Optimo Maximo ("To the best and greatest
Maximo (DOM) Greatest God" Jupiter"). Printed on bottles of Benedictine liqueur.
Motto of the Confederate States of America. An alternate translation is "With an
Deo vindice "with God as protector"
avenging God".
 This was often used in conjunction with a signature at the end of letters. It was used
Deo volente "with God willing" in order to signify that "God willing" this letter will get to you safely, "God
willing" the contents of this letter come true.
From the Greek Από μηχανής Θεός (Apo mēchanēs Theos). A contrived or
artificial solution, usually to a literary plot. Refers to the practice in Greek drama of
deus ex machina "a god from a machine" lowering by machine an actor playing a god or goddess, typically either Athena or
(as in Euripides) the Dioscuri onto the stage to resolve an insuperable conflict in
the plot.
Deus vult "God wills it!" The principal slogan of the Crusades.
deus otiosus "God at leisure"
I.e. "From a rule without exception." Short for A dicto simpliciter, the a often being
dropped by confusion with the indefinite article. A dicto simpliciter occurs when an
acceptable exception is ignored or eliminated. For instance, the appropriateness of
"[From] a maxim,
Dicto simpliciter using opiates is dependent on the presence of extreme pain. To justify the
simply"
recreational use of opiates by referring to a cancer patient or to justify arresting said
cancer patient by comparing him to the recreational user would be a dicto
simpliciter.
dictum meum "my word [is] my
Motto of the London Stock Exchange
pactum bond"
From the Roman Emperor Titus. Passed down in Suetonius's biography of him in
diem perdidi "I have lost the day"
Lives of the Twelve Caesars (8)
Diem Ex Dei "Day of God"
Refers to the Judgment Day in Christian eschatology. The name of a famous 13th-
Dies Irae "Day of Wrath" century Medieval Latin hymn by Tommaso da Celano, used in the Mass for the
dead.
Days under common law (traditionally Sunday) in which no legal process can be
Dies non juridicum Day without judiciary served and any judgment is void. This concept was first codified by the English
Parliament in the reign of Charles II.
differentia specifica "specific differences"
In Classical Latin, "I arrange". State motto of Maine. Based on a comparison of the
dirigo "I direct"
state of Maine to the star Polaris.
"it seemed otherwise to In other words, the gods have different plans than mortals, and so events do not
dis aliter visum
the gods" always play out as people wish them to.
Refers to the Manes, Roman spirits of the dead. Loosely "To the memory of". A
dis manibus "Sacred to the ghost- conventional inscription preceding the name of the deceased on pagan grave
sacrum (D.M.S.) gods" markings, often shortened to dis manibus (D.M.), "for the ghost-gods". Preceded in
some earlier monuments by hic situs est (H. S. E.), "he lies here".
Disce aut Discede "Learn or Depart" Motto of Royal College, Colombo.
disce quasi semper "Learn as if always
victurus vive quasi going to live; live as if Attributed to St Edmund of Abingdon.
cras moriturus tomorrow going to die."
discipuli nostri "Our students are the
bardissimi sunt stupidest"
That is, "scattered remains". Paraphrased from Horace, Satires, I, 4, 62, where it
disjecta membra "scattered limbs" was written "disiecti membra poetae" ("limbs of a scattered poet"). Also written as
disiecta membra.
State motto of Arizona, adopted in 1911. Probably derived from the Vulgate's
ditat Deus "God enriches"
translation of Genesis 14:23.
A Roman maxim adopted by Julius Caesar, Louis XI and Machiavelli. Commonly
divide et impera "divide and rule"
rendered "divide and conquer".
A popular eloquent expression, usually used in the end of a speech. The implied
dixi "I have spoken"
meaning is: "I have said all that I had to say and thus the argument is settled".
["...", ...] dixit "["...", ...] said" Used to attribute a statement or opinion to its author, rather than the speaker.
"I give that you may Often said or written for sacrifices, when one "gives" and expects something back
do ut des
give" from the gods.
"It is learned by
Docendo discitur Also translated "One learns by teaching." Attributed to Seneca the Younger.
teaching"
Docendo disco, I learn by teaching,
scribendo cogito think by writing.
"The ... concept is particular to a few civil law systems and cannot sweepingly be
equated with the notions of ‘special’ or ‘specific intent’ in common law systems.
dolus specialis special intent Of course, the same might equally be said of the concept of ‘specific intent,’ a
notion used in the common law almost exclusively within the context of the
defense of voluntary intoxication."—Genocide scholar William Schabas[1]
Domine dirige nos "Lord guide us" Motto of the City of London.
Dominus
"the Lord is my light" Motto of the University of Oxford.
illuminatio mea
Phrase used during and at the end of Catholic sermons, and a general greeting form
Dominus vobiscum "Lord be with you" among and towards members of Catholic organizations, such as priests and nuns.
See also pax vobiscum.
Often set to music, either by itself or as part of the Agnus Dei prayer of the Mass
dona nobis pacem "give us peace"
(see above). Also an ending in the video game Haunting Ground.
donatio mortis "giving in expectation A legal concept where a person in imminent mortal danger need not meet the
causa of death" requisite consideration to create or modify a will.
draco dormiens
"a sleeping dragon is Motto of the fictional Hogwarts school in the Harry Potter series; translated more
nunquam
never to be tickled" loosely in the books as "never tickle a sleeping dragon".
titillandus
More literally, "the masks of the drama"; more figuratively, "cast of characters".
dramatis personae "the parts of the play"
The characters represented in a dramatic work.
Duae tabulae rasae lit. "Two blank slates,
in quibus nihil with nothing written Stan Laurel, inscription for the fanclub logo Sons of the Desert.
scriptum est upon them"
"Leadership by This is the motto for the United States Marine Corps' Officer Candidates School
Ductus exemplo
Example" located at Marine Corps Base Quantico; Quantico, Virginia.
dulce bellum "war is sweet to the War may seem pleasant to those who have never been involved in it, though the
inexpertis inexperienced" more experienced know better. A phrase from Erasmus in the 16th century.
"It is sweet and
dulce et decorum From Horace, Odes III, 2, 13. Used by Wilfred Owen for the title of a poem about
honorable to die for the
est pro patria mori World War I, Dulce et Decorum Est.
fatherland."
"a sweet and useful Horace wrote in his Ars Poetica that poetry must be dulce et utile ("pleasant and
dulce et utile
thing" profitable"), both enjoyable and instructive.
dulce periculum "danger is sweet" Horace, Odes III, 25, 16. Motto of the Scottish clan Clan MacAulay.
dulcissime, totam "darling, I give myself
Movement from Carl Orff's Carmina Burana.
tibi subdo me to you totally"
"sweeter after
Dulcius ex asperis Motto of the Scottish clan Clan Fergusson.[2]
difficulties"
dum laborus "While we work, we or more commonly, "As long as we are working, we are prospering" Motto of
prosperous prospering" Vincent Massey Secondary School, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
"while I breathe, I
dum spiro spero State motto of South Carolina. From Cicero.
hope"
dum Roma Used when someone has been asked for urgent help, but responds with no
"while Rome debates,
deliberat immediate action. Similar to Hannibal ante portas, but referring to a less personal
Saguntum is in danger"
Saguntum perit danger.
dum vivimus "While we live, we
motto of Presbyterian College.
servimus serve"
"[the] law [is] harsh,
dura lex sed lex
but [it is] the law"
dura mater "tough mother" Outer covering of the brain.
dum vita est, spes while there is life, there
est is hope
dux bellorum War leader

[edit] E
 Latin Translation Notes

Usually translated 'Out of many, (is) One.' Motto of the United States of
'From many, (comes)
e pluribus unum America. Inscribed on the Capitol and many coins used in the United States of
One.'
America. Also used as the motto of S.L. Benfica.

From the Latin Vulgate Gospel according to St. John (XIX.v) (19.5, Douay-
Rheims), where Pilate speaks these words as he presents Christ, crowned with
thorns, to the crowd. Oscar Wilde opened his defense with this phrase when on
Ecce Homo 'Behold the Man'
trial for sodomy, characteristically using a well-known Biblical reference as a
double entendre. It is also the title of Nietzsche's autobiography and of the theme
music by Howard Goodall for the BBC comedy Mr. Bean.

editio princeps 'first edition' The first printed edition of a work.

Abbreviation for exempli gratia, below.

'for the sake of
e.g.
example'
Often confused with id est (i.e.)[2]. e.g. is used to introduce one or more
examples.
Ego non 'not I'
Part of the absolution-formula spoken by a priest as part of the sacrament of
ego te absolvo 'I absolve you'
Penance (cf. absolvo).
ego te provoco 'I dare you'
Also 'worn-out'. Retired from office. Often used to denote a position held at the
emeritus 'veteran' point of retirement, as an honor, such as professor emeritus or provost emeritus.
This does not necessarily mean that the honoree is no longer active.
'existing because of Or 'being one's own cause'. Traditionally, a being that owes its existence to no
ens causa sui
oneself' other being, hence God or a Supreme Being (cf. Primum Mobile).
'by the sword she
ense petit placidam
seeks gentle peace State motto of Massachusetts, adopted in 1775.
sub libertate quietem
under liberty'
entitas ipsa involvit
'reality involves a
aptitudinem ad
power to compel sure A phrase used in modern Western philosophy on the nature of truth.
extorquendum certum
assent'
assensum
eo ipso is a technical term used in philosophy. It means 'by that very act' in Latin.
Similar to ipso facto. Example: 'The fact that I am does not eo ipso mean that I
think.' Etymology; From Latin eo ipso, ablative form of id ipsum, “that (thing)
eo ipso 'by that very act' itself”.

It is also used, with the same meaning, in law.

equo ne credite 'do not trust the horse' Virgil, Aeneid, II. 48-49
eo nomine 'by that name'
ergo 'therefore' Used to show a logical conclusion (cf. cogito ergo sum).
'in relation to
erga omnes
everyone'
From Seneca the Younger. The full quote is errare humanum est perseverare
errare humanum est 'to err is human'
diabolicum: 'to err is human; to persist is of the Devil'.
Or 'mistake'. Lists of errors in a previous edition of a work are often marked with
erratum 'error'
the plural, errata ('errors').
'to be is to be George Berkeley's motto for his idealist philosophical position that nothing exists
esse est percipi
perceived' independently of its perception by a mind except minds themselves.
 Truly being something, rather than merely seeming to be something. State motto
of North Carolina and academic motto of several schools, including North
Carolina State University, Berklee College of Music, and Columbia College
Chicago as well as Connell's Point Public School and Cranbrook High School in
'to be, rather than to Sydney, Australia. From chapter 26 of Cicero's De amicitia ('On Friendship').
esse quam videri
seem' Earlier than Cicero, the phrase had been used by Sallust in his Bellum Catilinae
(54.6), where he wrote that Cato esse quam videri bonus malebat ('he preferred
to be good, rather than to seem so'). Earlier still, Aeschylus used a similar phrase
in Seven Against Thebes, line 592, ou gar dokein aristos, all' enai thelei ('his
resolve is not to seem the best, but in fact to be the best').
Said of Venice by the Venetian historian Fra Paolo Sarpi shortly before his death.
esto perpetua 'may it be perpetual'
Also the state motto of Idaho, adopted in 1867.
A less common variant on et cetera used at the end of a list of locations to denote
et alibi (et al.) 'and elsewhere'
unlisted places.
Used similarly to et cetera ('and the rest'), to stand for a list of names. Alii is
actually masculine, so it can be used for men, or groups of men and women; the
feminine, et aliae, is appropriate when the 'others' are all female. Et alia is neuter
et alii (et al.) 'and others' plural and thus properly used only for inanimate, genderless objects, but some
use it as a gender-neutral alternative.[3]APA style uses et al. if the work cited was
written by more than two authors; MLA style uses et al. for more than three
authors.
et cetera (etc.) or (&c.) 'And the rest' In modern usages, also used to mean 'and so on' or 'and more'.
From Genesis 1:3 "and there was light". This phrase is used by Morehouse
et facta est lux 'And light was made'
College of Atlanta, Georgia, USA, as the school's motto.
'And all that sort of
et hoc genus omne Abbreviated to e.h.g.o. or ehgo
thing'
etiam si omnes... ego "also if all ones... not
non I"
et in Arcadia ego 'and in Arcadia [am] I' In other words, 'I, too, am in Arcadia'. See memento mori.
'And now, O ye kings,
et nunc reges
understand: receive
intelligite erudimini From the Book of Psalms, II.x. (Vulgate), 2.10 (Douay-Rheims).
instruction, you that
qui judicati terram
judge the earth.'
"also if all ones... not
et si omnes... ego non
I"
Pluralized as et sequentia ('and the following things'), abbreviations: et seqq., et
et sequentes (et seq.) 'and the following'
seq.., or sqq.
et suppositio nil ponit 'a supposition puts More typically translated as either (a) "Sayin' it don't make it so", or (b)
in esse nothing in being' "Hypothetically..."
Also 'Even you, Brutus?' or 'You too, Brutus?' Used to indicate a betrayal by
someone close. From Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, based on the traditional dying
words of Julius Caesar. However, these were almost certainly not Caesar's true
last words; Plutarch quotes Caesar as saying, in Greek (which was the language
et tu, Brute? 'And you, Brutus?'
of Rome's elite at the time), 'και εσυ, τεκνον;' (Kai su, teknon?), in English 'You
as well, (my) child?', quoting from Menander. Some have speculated based on
this that Brutus was Caesar's child, though there is no substantial evidence of
this.
et uxor (et ux.) 'and wife' A legal term.
'For out of the From the Gospel according to St. Matthew, XII.xxxiv (Vulgate), 12.34 (Douay-
ex abundantia enim
abundance of the heart Rheims) and the Gospel according to St. Luke, VI.xlv (Vulgate), 6.45 (Douay-
cordis os loquitur
the mouth speaketh.' Rheims). Sometimes rendered without enim ('for').
'from abundant
ex abundanti cautela
caution'
ex aequo 'from the equal' 'On equal footing', i.e., 'in a tie'.
ex animo 'from the heart' Thus, 'sincerely'.
ex ante 'from before' 'Beforehand', 'before the event'. Based on prior assumptions. A forecast.
'From the Stars, The motto of the fictional Starfleet Academy on Star Trek. Adapted from ex luna
Ex Astris Scientia
Knowledge' scientia, which in turn was modeled after ex scientia tridens.
ex cathedra 'from the chair' A phrase applied to the declarations or promulgations of the Pope when,
 preserved from even the possibility of error by the action of the Holy Ghost (see
Papal Infallibility), he solemnly declares or promulgates ("from the chair" that
was the ancient symbol of the teacher and of the governor, in this case of the
church) a dogmatic teaching on faith or morals as being contained in divine
revelation, or at least being intimately connected to divine revelation. Used, by
extension, of anyone who is perceived as speaking as though with supreme
authority or with arrogance.
ex Deo 'from God'
'From harmful deceit'; dolus malus is the Latin legal term for 'fraud'. The full
legal phrase is ex dolo malo non oritur actio ('an action does not arise from
ex dolo malo 'from fraud' fraud'). When an action has its origin in fraud or deceit, it cannot be supported;
thus, a court of law will not assist a man who bases his course of action on an
immoral or illegal act.
Idiomatically rendered 'on the face of it'. A legal term typically used to note that
ex facie 'from the face'
a document's explicit terms are defective without further investigation.
'from faith [comes]
ex fide fiducia A motto of St George's College, Harare.
confidence'
More literally 'from grace'. Refers to someone voluntarily performing an act
purely out of kindness, as opposed to for personal gain or from being forced to
ex gratia 'from kindness'
do it. In law, an ex gratia payment is one made without recognizing any liability
or legal obligation.
ex hypothesi 'from the hypothesis' Thus, 'by hypothesis'.
ex lege 'from the law'
ex libris 'from the books' Precedes a person's name, with the meaning of 'from the library of...'
'from the moon,
ex luna scientia The motto of the Apollo 13 moon mission, derived from ex scientia tridens.
knowledge'
'from or out of bad
ex malo bonum
comes good'
ex mea sententia 'in my opinion'
From Lucretius, and said earlier by Empedocles. Its original meaning is 'work is
required to succeed', but its modern meaning is a more general 'everything has its
origins in something' (cf. causality). It is commonly applied to the conservation
'nothing may come laws in philosophy and modern science. Ex nihilo often used in conjunction with
ex nihilo nihil fit
from nothing' the term creation, as in creatio ex nihilo, meaning 'creation, out of nothing'. It is
often used in philosophy or theology in connection with the proposition that God
created the universe from nothing. It is also mentioned in the final ad-lib of the
Monty Python song Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.
ex oblivione 'from oblivion' The title of a short story by H.P. Lovecraft.
By virtue of office or position; 'by right of office'. Often used when someone
holds one position by virtue of holding another. A common misconception is that
ex officio members of a committee or congress may not vote, but this is not
ex officio 'from the office' guaranteed by that title.

The Vice President of the United States is ex officio

President of the United States Senate.
A theological phrase contrasted with ex opere operato, referring to the notion that
'from the work of the
ex opere operantis the validity or promised benefit of a sacrament depends on the person
one working'
administering it.
A theological phrase meaning that the act of receiving a sacrament actually
confers the promised benefit, such as a baptism actually and literally cleansing
ex opere operato 'from the work worked'
one's sins. The Catholic Church affirms that the source of grace is God, not just
the actions or disposition of the minister or the recipient of the sacrament.
'from the East, the Superficially refers to the sun rising in the east, but alludes to culture coming
ex oriente lux
light' from the Eastern world.
A legal term meaning 'by one party' or 'for one party'. Thus, on behalf of one side
ex parte 'from a part'
or party only.
From the measure of Hercules' foot you shall know his size; from a part, the
ex pede Herculem 'from Hercules' foot'
whole.
ex post 'from after' 'Afterward', 'after the event'. Based on knowledge of the past. Measure of past
 performance.
'from a thing done
ex post facto Said of a law with retroactive effect.
afterward'
ex professo 'with due competence' Said of the person who perfectly knows his art or science.
'from knowledge, sea The United States Naval Academy motto. Refers to knowledge bringing men
ex scientia tridens
power.' power over the sea comparable to that of the trident-bearing Greek god Poseidon.
'from knowledge, The motto of the College of Graduate Studies at Middle Tennessee State
ex scientia vera
truth.' University.
In general, the claim that the absence of something demonstrates the proof of a
proposition. An argumentum ex silentio ('argument from silence') is an argument
ex silentio 'from silence' based on the assumption that someone's silence on a matter suggests ('proves'
when a logical fallacy) that person's ignorance of the matter or their inability to
counterargue validly.
ex tempore 'from time' 'This instant', 'right away' or 'immediately'. Also written extempore.
'from the force of the
ex vi termini Thus, 'by definition'.
term'
Used in reference to the study or assay of living tissue in an artificial
ex vivo 'out of or from life'
environment outside the living organism.
Thus, in accordance with a promise. An ex voto is also an offering made in
ex voto 'from the vow'
fulfillment of a vow.
'Ever upward!' The state motto of New York. Also a catch phrase used by Marvel
excelsior 'higher'
Comics head Stan Lee.
A juridical motto which means that exception, as for example during a 'state of
'The exception
exceptio firmat exception', does not put in danger the legitimacy of the rule in its globality. In
confirms the rule in
regulam in casibus other words, the exception is strictly limited to a particular sphere. See also
cases which are not
non exceptis exceptio strictissimi juris est and exceptio probat regulam in casibus non
excepted'
exceptis.
'The exception
exceptio probat
confirms the rule in A juridical motto often mistranslated as "the exception that proves the rule". See
regulam in casibus
cases which are not also firmat regulam in casibus non exceptis.
non exceptis
excepted'
'an excuse that has not
excusatio non petita More loosely, 'he who excuses himself, accuses himself'—an unprovoked excuse
been sought is an
accusatio manifesta is a sign of guilt. In French, qui s'excuse, s'accuse.
obvious accusation'
exeat 'may he leave' A formal leave of absence (cf. exit).
Usually shortened in English to 'for example' (see citation signal). Often
confused with id est (i.e.)[3].
'for the sake of
exempli gratia (e.g.)
example'
Exempli gratia, i.e., 'for example', is commonly abbreviated 'e.g.'; in this usage it
is sometimes followed by a comma, depending on style.[4]
'an army without
exercitus sine duce
leader is like a body On a plaque at the former military staff building of the Swedish Armed Forces.
corpus est sine spiritu
without spirit'
exeunt 'they leave' The plural of exit. Also extended to exeunt omnes, 'everyone leaves'.
experimentum crucis 'crucial experiment' Literally 'experiment of the cross'. A decisive test of a scientific theory.
experto crede 'trust the expert' Literally 'believe one who has had experience'. An author's aside to the reader.
'Mentioning one thing may exclude another thing'. A principle of legal statutory
interpretation: the explicit presence of a thing implies intention to exclude others;
'the expression of the
expressio unius est e.g., a reference in the Poor Relief Act 1601 to 'lands, houses, tithes and coal
one is the exclusion of
exclusio alterius mines' was held to exclude mines other than coal mines. Sometimes expressed as
the other'
expressum facit cessare tacitum (broadly, 'the expression of one thing excludes
the implication of something else').
adjective:
'still in existence;
extant
surviving' extant law is still existing, in existence, existent, surviving, remaining,
undestroyed. Usage, when a law is repealed the extant law governs.
extra domus '(placed) outside of the Refers to a possible result of Catholic ecclesiastical legal proceedings when the
 house' culprit is removed from being part of a group like a monastery.
This expression comes from the writings of Saint Cyprian of Carthage, a bishop
Extra Ecclesiam nulla 'Outside the Church
of the third century. It is often used to summarise the doctrine that the Catholic
salus there is no salvation'
Church is absolutely necessary for salvation.
It is issued by the Master of the Papal Liturgical Celebrations before a session of
the Papal Conclave which will elect a new Pope. When spoken, all those who are
Extra omnes 'Out, all of you.'
not Cardinals, or those otherwise mandated to be present at the Conclave, must
leave the Sistine Chapel.
'he who administers
extra territorium jus
justice outside of his Refers to extraterritorial jurisdiction. Often cited in law of the sea cases on the
dicenti impune non
territory is disobeyed high seas.
paretur
with impunity'

[edit] References

1. ^ Actus non facit reum, nisi mens sit rea: An Investigation into the Treatment of Mens Rea in the Quest to Hold
Individuals Accountable for Genocide Mens Rea: The Mental Element quoting and citing William A. Schabas, “The
Jelisic Case and the Mens Rea of the Crime of Genocide,” Leiden Journal of International Law 14 (2001): 129.
2. ^ Clan Fergus(s)on Society Retrieved on 2007-12-14
3. ^ University of Minnesota Style Manual: Correct Usage

[edit] F

Latin Translation Notes

"Every man is the

Faber est suae Appius Claudius Caecus. Motto of Fort Street High School in Petersham, Sydney ,
artisan of his own
quisque fortunae Australia.
fortune"

fac fortia et "do brave deeds and

Motto of Prince Alfred College in Adelaide, Australia.
patere endure"

fac simile "make a similar thing" Origin of the word facsimile, and, through it, of fax.

Motto of United States Navy Destroyer Squadron 22 and Joint Task Force 2, Star of
the Sea College, Convent of Holy Child Jesus School, Layton Hill, Blackpool, and
facta, non verba "actions, not words"
Southwood Boys' Grammar School in Ringwood, Victoria, Australia and Fred
Longworth High School in Tyldesley, Greater Manchester, in England.

A Roman legal principle indicating that a witness who willfully falsifies one matter is
falsus in uno, "false in one thing, not credible on any matter. The underlying motive for attorneys to impeach opposing
falsus in omnibus false in everything" witnesses in court: the principle discredits the rest of their testimony if it is without
corroboration.

An archaic legal term for one who commits suicide, referring to early English common
felo de se "felon from himself"
law punishments, such as land seizure, inflicted on those who killed themselves.

fere libenter "as a rule, men People believe what they wish to be true, even if it isn't. Attributed to Julius Caesar.
homines id quod willingly believe that
volunt credunt which they wish to"

An oxymoronic motto of Augustus. It encourages proceeding quickly, but with calm

festina lente "hurry slowly" and caution. Equivalent to 'More haste, less speed'. Motto of The Madeira School,
McLean, Virginia.

"let justice be done,

fiat iustitia et
and the world shall Motto of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor.
pereat mundus
perish"

fiat justitia ruat "let justice be done

Attributed to Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus.
caelum should the sky fall"

Less literally, "let light arise" or "let there be light" (cf. lux sit). From the Latin
translation of Genesis, "dixitque Deus fiat lux et facta est lux" ("and God said, 'Let
light be made', and light was made"). The motto of Parkland Composite High School,
the University of California, University of Washington, Waynesburg University,
fiat lux "let light be made"
Angelo State University, University of Lethbridge, Rollins College, Hiram College,
Alfred University and Kitsilano Secondary School. It is also the motto of the
Conservatorium High School in Sydney, Australia. It is incorporated into the logo of
the University of Liverpool and Emmanuel College at the University of Queensland.

"May God's will be

Fiat Voluntas Dei
done"

Fiat Voluntas The motto of Archbishop Richard Smith of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of
"Thy will be done"
Tua Edmonton.

A title given to Henry VIII of England by Pope Leo X on October 17, 1521 before
Fidei Defensor "Defender of the
Henry became a heresiarch. Still used by the British monarchs, it appears on all British
(Fid Def) or (fd) Faith"
coins, usually abbreviated.

fides qua "the faith by which it

the personal faith which apprehends, contrasted with fides quae creditur
creditur is believed"

fides quae "the faith which is

the content of "the faith," contrasted with fides qua creditur
creditur believed"

fides quaerens "faith seeking

the motto of Saint Anselm, found in his Proslogion
intellectum understanding"

fidus Achates "faithful Achates" A faithful friend. From the name of Aeneas's faithful companion in Virgil's Aeneid.
finis vitae sed "The end of Life is not
non amoris the end of Love"

Fit caedes "Let there be slaughter

Caesar's Gallic Wars, Book 7.
omnibus locis everywhere"

Referred to Attila the Hun, when he led his armies to invade the Western Roman
flagellum dei "scourge of god"
Empire.

flectere si nequeo
"If I cannot move
superos,
heaven I will raise Virgil's Aeneid - Book 7
Achaeronta
hell"
movebo

floreat etona "May Eton Flourish" Motto of Eton College

Indicates the period when a historical figure whose birth and death dates are unknown
floruit "one flourished"
was most active.

fluctuat nec "she wavers and is not

Motto of Paris.
mergitur immersed"

"the spring and

fons et origo "The fountainhead and beginning". The source and origin.
source"

fortes fortuna "fortune favours the "Fortes Fortuna Juvat" is the motto of the 3d Regiment of the United States Marine
adiuvat brave" Corps

fortis cadere, "The brave may fall,

Motto of Fahnestock Family Arms.
cedere non potest but cannot yield"

fortis est veritas "truth is strong" Motto on the coat of arms of Oxford, England.

fortis et liber "strong and free" Motto of Alberta.

fortiter et "bravely and

Motto of The King's School, Sydney.
fideliter faithfully"

[edit] G

Latin Translation Notes

 First words of a famous academic anthem used, among other places, in The
gaudeamus igitur "therefore let us rejoice"
Student Prince.

gaudium in veritate "joy in truth"

"universal things do not
generalia specialibus
detract from specific
non derogant
things"
A principle of legal statutory interpretation: If a matter falls under a specific
provision and a general provision, it shall be governed by the specific
provision.

The unique, distinctive aspects or atmosphere of a place, such as those

celebrated in art, stories, folk tales, and festivals. Originally, the genius loci
genius loci "spirit of place"
was literally the protective spirit of a place, a creature usually depicted as a
snake.

gesta non verba "Deeds not words" Motto of James Ruse Agricultural High School.

Often translated "Glory to God on High". The title and beginning of an ancient
Gloria in Excelsis "Glory to God in the
Roman Catholic doxology, the Greater Doxology. See also ad maiorem Dei
Deo Highest"
gloriam.

Gloria Patri "Glory to the Father" The beginning of the Lesser Doxology.

gloriosus et liber "glorious and free" Motto of Manitoba

Gradibus
"Ascending by degrees" Motto of Grey College, Durham
ascendimus

In other words, "more severe things await" or simply "the worst is yet to
graviora manent "heavier things remain"
come".

gutta cavat lapidem "a drop hollows a stone

non vi sed saepe not by force, but by often From Ovid, Epistulae ex Ponto IV, 10, 5.
cadendo falling"

[edit] H

Latin Translation Notes

A legal term from the 14th century or earlier. Refers to a number of legal writs to bring
"you may have the a person before a court or judge, most commonly habeas corpus ad subjiciendum ("you
habeas corpus
body" may have the body to bring up"). Commonly used as the general term for a prisoner's
legal right to challenge the legality of their detention.
 Used after a Roman Catholic Church papal election to announce publicly a successful
habemus papam "we have a pope"
ballot to elect a new pope.

hac lege "with this law"

"one day, this will

haec olim Commonly rendered in English as "One day, we'll look back on this and smile". From
be pleasing to
meminisse iuvabit Virgil's Aeneid 1.203. Also, motto of the Jefferson Society.
remember"

Hannibal ante "Hannibal before

Refers to wasting time while the enemy is already here. Attributed to Cicero.
portas the gates"

Hannibal ad "Hannibal is at the Roman parents would tell their misbehaving children this, invoking their fear of
portas gates" Hannibal.

haud ignota "I speak not of

Thus, "I say no things that are unknown". From Virgil's Aeneid, 2.91.
loquor unknown things"

hic abundant
"here lions abound" Written on uncharted territories of old maps.
leones

hic et nunc "here and now"

Also rendered hic iacet. Written on gravestones or tombs, preceding the name of the
hic jacet (HJ) "here lies" deceased. Equivalent to hic sepultus ("here is buried"), and sometimes combined into
hic jacet sepultus (HJS), "here lies buried".

According to Titus Livius the phrase was pronounced by Marcus Furius Camillus,
hic manebimus "here we'll stay addressing the senators who intended to abandon the city, invaded by Gauls, in 390
optime excellently" BCE circa. It is used today to express the intent to keep one's position even if the
circumstances appear adverse.

"here there are

hic sunt dracones Written on uncharted territories of old maps.
dragons"

"here there are

hic sunt leones Written on uncharted territories of old maps.
lions"

From Terence, Andria, line 125. Originally literal, referring to the tears shed by
hinc illae lacrimae "hence those tears" Pamphilus at the funeral of Chrysis, it came to be used proverbally in the works of later
authors, such as Horace (Epistula XIX, 41).
historia vitae "history, the teacher
From Cicero, Tusculanas, 2, 16. Also "history is the mistress of life".
magistra of life"

Motto of Bradford Grammar School, often purposefully mistranslated by pupils as "Just

hoc age "do this"
do it!".

hoc est bellum "This is war"

hoc est Christum

"To know Christ is
cognoscere,
to know his Famous dictum by the Reformer Melanchthon in his Loci Communes of 1521
beneficia eius
benefits"
cognoscere

Hoc Est Enim The words of Jesus reiterated in Latin during the Roman Catholic Eucharist. May be the
"This is my Body"
Corpus Meum source of the expression "hocus-pocus".[citation needed]

homo homini "man [is a] wolf to First attested in Plautus' Asinaria ("lupus est homo homini"). The sentence was drawn
lupus man" on by Hobbes in Leviathan as a concise expression of his human nature view.

homo sapiens non "a wise man does

urinat in ventum not pee into the In Latin, urinare (later urinari) does not mean "to urinate" but "to plunge underwater".
(Dog Latin) wind"

From Terence, Heautontimoroumenos. Originally "strange" or "foreign" (alienum) was

"I am a human
homo sum humani used in the sense of "irrelevant", as this line was a response to the speaker being told to
being; nothing
a me nihil alienum mind his own business, but it is now commonly used to advocate respecting different
human is strange to
puto cultures and being humane in general. Puto ("I consider") is not translated because it is
me"
meaningless outside of the line's context within the play.

homo unius libri "(I fear) a man of

Attributed to Thomas Aquinas
(timeo) one book"

hominem non "Treat the Man, not

Motto of the Far Eastern University - Institute of Nursing
morbum cura the Disease"

honor virtutis "esteem is the

Motto of Arnold School, Blackpool, England
praemium reward of virtue"

"for the sake of

honoris causa Said of an honorary title, such as "Doctor of Science honoris causa".
honor"

hora fugit "the hour flies" See tempus fugit.

hora somni (h.s.) "at the hour of Medical shorthand for "at bedtime".
 sleep"

"I do not count the

horas non numero
hours unless they A common inscription on sundials.
nisi serenas
are sunny"

"A garden in the Motto of the Chicago Park District, a playful allusion to the city's motto, urbs in horto,
hortus in urbe
city" q.v.

horribile dictu "horrible to say" That is, "a horrible thing to relate". A pun on mirabile dictu.

hostis humani "enemy of the

Cicero defined pirates in Roman law as being enemies of humanity in general.
generis human race"

hypotheses non "I do not fabricate

From Newton, Principia. Less literally, "I do not assert that any hypotheses are true".
fingo hypotheses"

[edit] I

Latin Translation Notes

Usually used in bibliographic citations to refer to the last source previously

ibidem (ibid.) "in the same place"
referenced.

idem (id.) "the same" Used to refer to something that has already been cited. See also ibidem.

idem quod (i.q.) "the same as" Not to be confused with an intelligence quotient.

"That is (to say)", "in other words", or sometimes "in this case", depending on
the context. Never equivalent to exempli gratia (e.g.), although frequently so
id est (i.e.) "that is" used.[5]

Id est, i.e., "that is", is commonly abbreviated "i.e."; in this usage it is

sometimes followed by a comma, depending on style.[6]
In the Roman calendar, the Ides of March refers to the 15th day of March. In
modern times, the term is best known as the date on which Julius Caesar was
Idus Martiae "the Ides of March" assassinated in 44 BC, the story of which was famously retold in William
Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar.[1] The term has come to be used as a
metaphor for impending doom.
Direct quote from the Vulgate, John 19:19. The inscription was written in
Iesus Nazarenus Rex "Jesus of Nazareth, King
Latin, Greek and Aramaic at the top of the cross on which Jesus was crucified.
Iudaeorum (INRI) of the Jews"
(John 19:20)
igitur qui desiderat "Therefore whoever
Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus, Epitoma rei militaris (See also in this list
pacem, praeparet desires peace, let him
Si vis pacem, para bellum)
bellum prepare for war"
igne natura renovatur "through fire, nature is An alchemical aphorism invented as an alternate meaning for the acronym
integra reborn whole" INRI.
A phrase describing scorched earth tactics. Also rendered as igne atque ferro,
igni ferroque "with fire and iron"
ferro ignique, and other variations.
A phrase referring to the refining of character through difficult circumstances,
ignis aurum probat "fire tests gold"
it is also the motto of the Prometheus Society
ignis fatuus "foolish fire" Will o' the wisp.
ignorantia juris non "ignorance of the law does A legal principle whereby ignorance of a law does not allow one to escape
excusat not excuse" liability.
The logical fallacy of irrelevant conclusion: making an argument that, while
possibly valid, doesn't prove or support the proposition it claims to. An
ignoratio elenchi "ignorance of the issue"
ignoratio elenchi that is an intentional attempt to mislead or confuse the
opposing party is known as a red herring. Elenchi is from the Greek elenchos.
"unknown by means of An explanation that is less clear than the thing to be explained. Synonymous
ignotum per ignotius
the more unknown" with obscurum per obscurius.
ignotus (ign.) "unknown"
illegitimi non
"Don't let the bastards Mock Latin originating during World War II, used and known in many forms
carborundum
grind you down" since then. Motto of General Joseph Stilwell.
(Dog Latin)
imago Dei "image of God" From the religious concept that man was created in "God's image".
A principle, held by several religions, that believers should strive to resemble
imitatio dei "imitation of a god"
their god(s).
1. A group of people who owe utmost fealty to their leader(s), subordinating
the interests of the larger group to the authority of the internal group's
imperium in imperio "an order within an order" leader(s).
2. A "fifth column" organization operating against the organization within
which they seemingly reside.
In Virgil's Aeneid, Jupiter ordered Aeneas to found a city (Rome) from which
"an empire without an
imperium sine fine would come an everlasting, neverending empire, the endless (sine fine)
end"
empire.
An authorization to publish, granted by some censoring authority (originally a
imprimatur "let it be printed"
Catholic Bishop).
Used in a number of situations, such as in a trial carried out in the absence of
in absentia "in the absence"
the accused.
in actu "in act" "In the very act/In reality".
in articulo mortis "at the point of death"
in camera "in the chamber" Figuratively, "in secret". See also camera obscura.
in casu "in the event" "In this case".
Using the metaphor of a scorpion, this can be said of an account that proceeds
in cauda venenum "the poison is in the tail" gently, but turns vicious towards the end — or more generally waits till the
end to reveal an intention or statement that is undesirable in the listener's eyes.
"of uncertain position A term used to classify a taxonomic group when its broader relationships are
incertae sedis
(seat)" unknown or undefined.
incredibile dictu "incredible to say" A variant on mirabile dictu.
in Deo speramus "in God we hope" Motto of Brown University.
Index Librorum "Index of Prohibited (or,
A list of books considered heretical by the Roman Catholic Church.
Prohibitorum Forbidden) Books"
indivisibiliter ac "indivisible and Motto of Austria-Hungary prior to its separation into independent states in
inseparabiliter inseparable" 1918.
Expresses the judicial principle that in case of doubt the decision must be in
"in doubt, on behalf of the
in dubio pro reo favor of the accused (in that anyone is innocent until there is proof to the
[alleged] culprit"
contrary).
in duplo "in double" "In duplicate".
"In (the form of) an image", "in effigy" as opposed to "in the flesh" or "in
in effigie "in the likeness"
person".
in esse "in existence" In actual existence; as opposed to in posse.
in extenso "in the extended" "In full", "at full length", "completely", "unabridged".
In extremity; in dire straits. Also "at the point of death" (cf. in articulo
in extremis "in the furthest reaches"
mortis).
in fidem "into faith" To the verification of faith.
in fieri "in becoming" Thus, "pending".
At the end.
in fine (i.f.) "in the end"
The footnote says "p. 157 in fine": "the end of page
157".
Infinitus est numerus "Infinite is the number of
stultorum. fools."
Infirma mundi elegit "God chooses the weak of The motto of Venerable Vital-Justin Grandin, the bishop of the St. Albert
Deus the world" Diocese, which in now the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton
"in a blazing wrong", Equivalent to the English idiom "caught red-handed": caught in the act of
in flagrante delicto "while the crime is committing a crime. Sometimes carried the connotation of being caught in a
blazing" "compromising position".
in flore "in blossom" Blooming.
in foro "in forum" Legal term for "in court".
infra dignitatem
"beneath one's dignity"
(infra dig)
"We enter the circle at
in girum imus nocte A palindrome said to describe the behavior of moths. Also the title of a film
night and are consumed
et consumimur igni by Guy Debord.
by fire"
"by this sign you will Words Constantine claimed to have seen in a vision before the Battle of
in hoc signo vinces
conquer" Milvian Bridge. Motto of Sigma Chi fraternity.
in hunc effectum "for this purpose" Describes a meeting called for a particular stated purpose only.
"at that time", found often in Gospel lectures during Masses, used to mark an
in illo tempore "in that time"
undetermined time in the past.
"[roughly]the way you
in inceptum finis est begin is how you will
end"
Preliminary, in law referring to a motion that is made to the judge before or
in limine "at the outset"
during trial, often about the admissibility of evidence believed prejudicial
That is, "at the place".
in loco "in the place"
The nearby labs were closed for the weekend, so the
water samples were analyzed in loco.
A legal term meaning "assuming parental (i.e., custodial) responsibility and
in loco parentis "in the place of a parent" authority". Primary and secondary teachers are typically bound by law to act
in loco parentis.
in luce Tua videmus
"in Thy light we see light" Motto of Valparaiso University.
lucem
in lumine tuo "in your light we will see
Motto of Columbia University and Ohio Wesleyan University.
videbimus lumen the light"
in manus tuas
"into your hands I entrust
commendo spiritum According to Luke 23:46, the last words of Jesus on the cross.
my spirit"
meum
From Horace. Refers to the literary technique of beginning a narrative in the
middle of, or at a late point in, the story, after much action has already taken
in medias res "into the middle of things"
place. Examples include the Iliad, the Odyssey, the Lusíadas and Paradise
Lost. Compare ab initio.
Equivalent to "in the memory of". Refers to remembering or honoring a
in memoriam "into the memory"
deceased person.
in necessariis unitas, "in necessary things unity, "Charity" (caritas) is being used in the classical sense of "compassion" (cf.
in dubiis libertas, in in doubtful things liberty, agape). Motto of the Cartellverband der katholischen deutschen
omnibus caritas in all things charity" Studentenverbindungen. Often misattributed to Augustine of Hippo.
in nuce "in a nut" I.e. "in potentiality." Comparable to "potential", "to be developed".
Motto of the so-called secret society of Yale in the television show Gilmore
In omnia paratus "Ready for anything."
Girls.
in omnibus requiem "Everywhere I have
quaesivi, et nusquam searched for peace and
Quote by Thomas a Kempis.
inveni nisi in angulo nowhere found it, except
cum libro in a corner with a book"
That is, "in the land of the infidels", infidels here referring to non-Christians.
"in the parts of the
in partibus infidelium After Islam conquered a large part of the Roman Empire, the corresponding
infidels"
bishoprics didn't disappear, but remained as titular sees.
in pectore "in the heart" A Cardinal named in secret by the pope. See also ab imo pectore.
"Directed towards a particular person". In a lawsuit in which the case is
against a specific individual, that person must be served with a summons and
complaint to give the court jurisdiction to try the case. The court's judgment
applies to that person and is called an "in personam judgment." In personam is
distinguished from in rem, which applies to property or "all the world" instead
in personam "into a person"
of a specific person. This technical distinction is important to determine where
to file a lawsuit and how to serve a defendant. In personam means that a
judgment can be enforceable against the person, wherever he or she is. On the
other hand, if the lawsuit is to determine title to property (in rem), then the
action must be filed where the property exists and is only enforceable there.
in posse "in potential" In the state of being possible; as opposed to in esse.
in propria persona "in one's own person" "Personally", "in person".
A legal term used to indicate that a judicial proceeding may not have formally
designated adverse parties or is otherwise uncontested. The term is commonly
In re "in the matter [of]"
used in case citations of probate proceedings, for example, In re Smith's
Estate; it is also used in juvenile courts, as, for instance, In re Gault.
in rerum natura "in the nature of things" See also Lucretius' De Rerum Natura ("On the Nature of Things").
Used to describe documents kept separately from the regular records of a
in retentis "among things held back"
court for special reasons.
in saeculo "in the times" "In the secular world", that is, outside a monastery, or before death.
in salvo "in safety"
Coined in the early 1990s for scientific papers. Refers to an experiment or
process performed virtually, as a computer simulation. The term is Dog Latin
in silico
"in silicon" modeled after terms such as in vitro and in vivo. The Latin word for silicon is
(Dog Latin)
silicium, so the correct Latinization of "in silicon" would be in silicio, but this
form has little usage.
In the original place, appropriate position, or natural arrangement. In medical
contexts, it implies that the condition is still in the same place and has not
worsened, improved, spread, etc. In situ examinations of materials are
in situ "in the place" performed under real conditions, e.g. a neutron diffraction study of a metal
under thermo-mechanical conditions rather than post-mortem. In chemical
contexts, in situ indicates that a reagent had been made in flask immediately
prior to its use in the reaction.
In somnis veritas "In dreams there is truth"
"future" ("My mother-in-law in spe", i.e. "My future mother-in-law"), or "in
In spe "in hope" embryonic form", as in "Locke's theory of government resembles, in spe,
Montesquieu's theory of the separation of powers."
In specialibus "To seek the general in the That is, to understand the most general rules through the most detailed
generalia quaerimus specifics" analysis.
Formerly used in formal correspondence to refer to the current month.
Sometimes abbreviated as instant. Used with ult. ("last month") and prox.
instante mense (inst.) "in the present month" ("next month").

"Thank you for your letter of the 17th inst."

"in the state of being
in statu nascendi Just as something is about to begin.
born"
intaminatis fulget "Untarnished, she shines
From Horace’s Odes (III.2.18). Motto of Wofford College.
honoribus with honor"
integer vitae "unimpaired by life and
From Horace. Used as a funeral hymn.
scelerisque purus clean of wickedness"
A term used in formal extract minutes to indicate that the minute quoted has
inter alia (i.a.) "among other things" been taken from a fuller record of other matters, or when alluding to the
parent group after quoting a particular example.
inter alios "among others" Often used to compress lists of parties to legal documents.
"In the face of arms, the
Said by Cicero in Pro Milone as a protest against unchecked political mobs
law falls mute," more
inter arma enim that had virtually seized control of Rome in the '60s and '50s BC. Famously
popularly rendered as "In
silent leges quoted in the essay "Resistance to Civil Government" by Henry David
a time of war, the law falls
Thoreau as "The clatter of arms drowns out the voice of the law."
silent."
inter caetera "among others" Title of a papal bull.
inter spem et metum "between hope and fear"
Said of property transfers between living persons, as opposed to inheritance;
inter vivos "between the living"
often relevant to tax laws.
in toto "in all" "Totally", "entirely", "completely".
intra muros "within the walls" Thus, "not public". Source of the word intramural. See also intramuros.
intra vires "within the powers" That is, "within the authority".
in triplo "in triple" "In triplicate".
in utero "in the womb"
"Prepared for either
in utrumque paratus Motto of the McKenzie clan.
(event)"
in vacuo "in a void" "In a vacuum". In isolation from other things.
Literally, "In variety,
concord" (Loosely, "In
In varietate concordia The motto of the European Union and the Council of Europe
diversity, harmony [or,
friendship])"
That is, wine loosens the tongue.
in vino veritas "in wine [there is] truth"
(Referring to alcohol's disinhibitory effects.)
An experimental or process methodology performed in a "non-natural" setting
(e.g., in a laboratory using a glass test tube or Petri dish), and thus outside of a
living organism or cell. The reference to glass is merely an historic one, as the
current usage of this term is not specific to the materials involved, but rather
to the "non-natural" setting employed. Alternative experimental or process
in vitro "in glass" methodologies would include in vitro, in silico, ex vivo and in vivo.

In vitro fertilization is not literally done "in

glass", but rather is a technique to fertilize egg
cells outside of a woman's body. By definition, it
is thus an ex vivo process.
"in life" or "in a living
in vivo An experiment or process performed on a living specimen.
thing"
An expression used by biologists to express the fact that laboratory findings
"in a living thing [there is]
in vivo veritas that do not include testing on an organism (in vitro) are not always reflected
truth"
when applied to an organism (in vivo). A pun on in vino veritas.
Iohannes est nomen "John is its name / Juan es
Motto of the Seal of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
eius su Nombre"
ipsa scientia potestas "knowledge itself is
Famous phrase written by Sir Francis Bacon in 1597.
est power"
ipse dixit "he himself said it" Commonly said in Medieval debates referring to Aristotle, who was
considered the supreme authority on matters of philosophy. Used in general to
emphasize that some assertion comes from some authority, i.e., as an appeal to
authority, and the term ipsedixitism has come to mean any unsupported
rhetorical assertion that lacks a logical argument. Originally coined by Cicero

"the very words
ipsissima verba
themselves"
ipsissima voce "the very 'voice' itself"
ipso facto "by the fact itself"
Ira Deorum "Wrath of the Gods"
"Wrath (anger) is but a
ira furor brevis est
brief madness".
ita vero "thus indeed"
"Go, it is sent" (or, more
Ite, missa est loosely: "You have been
dismissed"
Iter Legis "The path of the law"
"to cut the throat of
iugulare mortuos
corpses"
"the court knows the
iura novit curia
laws"
iuris ignorantia est "it is ignorance of the law
cum ius nostrum when we do not know our
ignoramus own rights"
ius accrescendi "right of accrual"
ius ad bellum "law towards war"
ius cogens "compelling law"
ius in bello "law in war"
ius primae noctis "law of the first night"
iustitia omnibus "justice for all"
iuventitus veho "I bear the fortunes of
fortunas youth"
"to the young nothing is
iuventuti nil arduum
difficult"
[edit] L
Latin Translation
in his De Natura Deorum (I, 10) to describe the behavior of the students of
Pythagoras.
"Strictly word for word" (cf. verbatim). Often used in Biblical Studies to
describe the record of Jesus' teaching found in the New Testament
(specifically, the four Gospels).
To approximate the main thrust or message without using the exact words.
Or "by that very fact".
Like the vast majority of inhabitants of the ancient world, the ancient Romans
practiced pagan rituals, believing it important to achieve a state of Pax
Deorum ("Peace of the Gods") instead of Ira Deorum ("Wrath of the Gods"):
earthquakes, floods, famine, etc.
A useful phrase, as the Romans had no word for "yes", preferring to respond
to questions with the affirmative or negative of the question (i.e., "Are you
hungry?" was answered by "I am hungry" or "I am not hungry", not "Yes" or
"No").
The deacon's statement to the congregation as part of the concluding
ceremonies of the ritual of the Roman Catholic Mass. Scholars are not all
agreed about what it intends.
The path a law takes from its conception to its implementation.
From Gerhard Gerhards' (1466-1536) [better known as Erasmus] collection of
annotated Adagia (1508). It can mean attacking the work or personality of
deceased person. Alternatively, it can be used to describe criticism of an
individual already heavily criticised by others.
A legal principle in civil law countries of the Roman-German tradition (e.g.,
in Spain,Germany, Italy and Brazil) that says that lawyers need not to argue
the law, as that is the office of the court. Sometimes miswritten as iura novat
curia ("the court renews the laws").
Commonly referred to as "right of survivorship": a rule in property law that
surviving joint tenants have rights in equal shares to a decedent's property.
Refers to the "laws" that regulate the reasons for going to war. Typically, this
would address issues of self-defense or preemptive strikes.
Refers to a fundamental principle of international law considered to have
acceptance among the international community of states as a whole.
Typically, this would address issues not listed or defined by any authoritative
body, but arise out of case law and changing social and political attitudes.
Generally included are prohibitions on waging aggressive war, crimes against
humanity, war crimes, piracy, genocide, slavery, and torture.
Refers to the "laws" that regulate the conduct of combatants during a conflict.
Typically, this would address issues of who or what is a valid target, how to
treat prisoners, and what sorts of weapons can be used. The word jus is also
commonly spelled ius.
The droit de seigneur.
Motto of the District of Columbia.
Motto of Dollar Academy.
Motto of Canberra Girls' Grammar School.
Notes
 State motto of Oklahoma. Motto of The Potomac School, McLean, Virginia. Town motto of
West Bromwich, England. Motto of the City of Bradford, England and although not
commonly used today it can still be seen on many Victorian buildings in Bradford such as
Labor omnia "Hard work
parts of the Esholt Sewage treatment facility. Motto of Cheltenham College, England, and of
vincit conquers all"
Strathallan School, Scotland. Motto of Instituto Nacional, leading Chilean high school.
Motto of Luton Borough Football Club, England. Derived from a phrase in Virgil's 10th
Eclogue.

Laborare "To work, (or) to

pugnare parati fight; we are Motto of the California Maritime Academy
sumus ready"

Laboremus pro "Let us work for

Motto of the Carlsberg breweries
patria the fatherland"

Laboris gloria "Work hard, Play

Motto of the Camborne School of Mines, Cornwall, UK
Ludi hard"

A "proglossis", "tip of the tongue" or "apex of the tongue". Often used to mean "linguistic
"slip of the error" or "language mistake". It and its written-word variant, lapsus calami ("slip of the
lapsus linguae pen") can sometimes refers to a typographical error as well.
tongue"

Ex.: "I'm sorry for mispronouncing your name. It wasn't intentional; it was a lapsus linguae".
lapsus
"slip of memory" Source of the term memory lapse.
memoriae
Laudator "praiser of time One who is discontent with the present but instead prefers things of the past. See "the Good
Temporis Acti past" old days".
Laudetur Jesus "Praise (Be) Jesus
Often used as a salutation, but also used after prayers or the reading of the gospel.
Christus Christ"
"praise be to This is written on the East side at the peak of the Washington Monument in Washington,
laus Deo
God" D.C.
lectori salutem "greetings reader" Often abbreviated to L.S., used as opening words for a letter.
"according to the Describes something genuine, true, real, tested, proven, not assumed, not placebo. Used
lege artis
law of the art" especially in a medical context. The 'art' referred to in the phrase is medicine.
"the law of the
legem terrae
land"
leges humanae
"laws of man are
nascuntur,
born, live and
vivunt, et
die"
moriuntur
leges sine "laws without
From Horace's Odes: the official motto of the University of Pennsylvania.
moribus vanae morals [are] vain"
A legal term describing a "forced share", the portion of a deceased person's estate from
legitime "lawfully" which the immediate family cannot be disinherited. From the French héritier legitime
("rightful heir").
lex artis "law of the skill" The rules that regulate a professional duty.
"the law of God
lex dei vitae
is the lamp of Motto of the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Melbourne
lampas
life"
"the law that
lex ferenda The law as it ought to be.
should be borne"
lex hac edictali "the law here The rule whereby a spouse cannot by deed inter vivos or bequeath by testament to his or her
proclaims" second spouse more than the amount of the smallest portion given or bequeathed to any
 child.
"the law that has
lex lata The law as it is.
been borne"
lex loci "law of the place"
"law that has not
lex non scripta Unwritten law, or common law.
been written"
"law of
lex parsimoniae also known as Ockhams Razor.
succinctness"
A principle of government advocating a rule by law rather than by men. The phrase
"the law [is]
lex rex originated as a double entendre in the title of Samuel Rutherford's controversial book Lex,
king"
Rex (1644), which espoused a theory of limited government and constitutionalism.
lex scripta "written law" Statute law. Contrasted with lex non scripta.
"the law of
lex talionis Retributive justice (cf. an eye for an eye).
retaliation"
libera te me ex "free me from Used in a Hellsystem album cover from 2005. A similar sentence (Liberate tutemet ex
inferis hell" inferis, Save yourself from hell) used in the movie "Event Horizon".
Used in the movie Event Horizon (1997), where it is translated as "save yourself (from
libera te tutemet "Free yourself hell)". It is initially misheard as liberate me ("free me"), but is later corrected. Libera te is
(ex inferis) (from hell)" often mistakenly merged into liberate, which would necessitate a plural pronoun instead of
the singular tutemet (which is an emphatic form of tu, "you").
Libertas Justitia "Liberty Justice
Motto of the Korea University.
Veritas Truth"
Libertas Quae "freedom which
Thus, "liberty even when it comes late". Motto of Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Sera Tamen [is] however late"
libra (lb) "scales" Literally "balance". Its abbreviation, lb, is used as a unit of weight, the pound.
"in the place
loco citato (lc) More fully written in loco citato. See also opere citato.
cited"
locus classicus "a classic place" A quotation from a classical text used as an example of something.
Used in philology to indicate that subsequent mistakes in the tradition of the text have made
"place of
a passage as corrupted as to discourage any attempt of correction. The passage is marked by
locus deperditus (irremediable)
a crux desperationis. Somehow close in meaning to the modern English expression lost in
loss"
translation.
locus minoris "place of less A medical term to describe a location on or in a body that offers little resistance to infection,
resistentiae resistance" damage, or injury. For example, a weakened place that tends to be reinjured.
A mangled fragment from Cicero's De Finibus Bonorum et Malorum ("On the Limits of
Good and Evil", 45 BC), used as typographer's filler to show fonts (a.k.a. greeking). An
lorem ipsum — approximate literal translation of lorem ipsum might be "sorrow itself", as the term is from
dolorum ipsum quia, meaning "sorrow because of itself", or less literally, "pain for its own
sake".
"Let your light
luceat lux vestra May be found in Matthew Ch. 5 V. 16. Popular as a school motto.
shine"
"We follow the
lucem sequimur Motto of the University of Exeter, United Kingdom
light"
"I struggle and Motto of both the Dutch province of Zeeland to denote its battle against the sea, and the
luctor et emergo
emerge" Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in Wilcox, Saskatchewan.
From late 4th-century grammarian Honoratus Maurus, who sought to mock implausible
word origins such as those proposed by Priscian. A pun based on the word lucus ("dark
lucus a non "[it is] a grove by
grove") having a similar appearance to the verb lucere ("to shine"), arguing that the former
lucendo not being light"
word is derived from the latter word because of a lack of light in wooded groves. Often used
as an example of absurd etymology.
"the wolf in the
lupus in fabula With the meaning "speak of the wolf, and he will come". Occurs in Terence's play Adelphoe.
story"
lupus non "a wolf does not
mordet lupum bite a wolf"
Motto of the liberal arts school, Franklin & Marshall College. Light in reference to Benjamin
lux et lex "light and law" Franklin's many innovations and discoveries. Law in reference to John Marshall as one of
the most notable Supreme Court Justices.
 A translation of the Hebrew Urim and Thummim. Motto of Yale University and Indiana
lux et veritas "light and truth" University. An expanded form, lux et veritas floreant ("let light and truth flourish"), is the
motto of the University of Winnipeg
"light from
lux ex tenebris Motto of the 67th Network Warfare Wing, a unit within the United States Air Force.
darkness"
lux hominum "life the light of
vita men"
"light in the
lux in Domino Motto of the Ateneo de Manila University
Lord"
lux libertas "light, liberty" Motto of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
"Light of the
lux mentis lux
mind, light of the Motto of Sonoma State University
orbis
world"
A more literal Latinization of the phrase "let there be light", the most common translation of
fiat lux ("let light arise", literally "let light be made"), which in turn is the Latin Vulgate
"let there be
lux sit Bible phrase chosen for the Genesis line "? ????????? ????????, ????? ????; ???????-????"
light"
("And God said: 'Let there be light.' And there was light"). Motto of the University of
Washington.
"Your Light
lux tua nos ducat Motto of St. Julian's School [7]
Guides us"

[edit] References

1. ^ William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar, Act 1, Scene II

[edit] M

Latin Translation Notes

magister dixit "the teacher has said it" Canonical medieval reference to Aristotle, precluding further discussion

A set of documents between Pope Innocent III, King John of England, and
Magna Carta "Great Charter"
English barons.

magna cum laude "with great praise" A common Latin honor, above cum laude and below summa cum laude.

Magna Europa est "Great Europe is Our

Political motto of pan-Europeanists (cf. ave Europa nostra vera Patria)
Patria Nostra Fatherland"

magna est vis "great is the power of

consuetudinis habit"

magno cum gaudio "with great joy"

magnum opus "great work" Said of someone's masterpiece.

 "greater things are
maiora premunt Used to indicate that it is the moment to address more important, urgent, issues.
pressing"

Said of an act done with knowledge of its illegality, or with intention to defraud
mala fide "in bad faith"
or mislead someone. Opposite of bona fide.

mala tempora Also used ironically, e.g.: New teachers know all tricks used by pupils to copy
"bad times are upon us"
currunt from classmates? Oh, mala tempora currunt!.

male captus bene "wrongly captured,

An illegal arrest will not prejudice the subsequent detention/trial.
detentus properly detained"

Malo periculosam "I prefer liberty with

libertatem quam danger to peace with
quietum servitium slavery"

Alludes to the apple of Eris in the Judgement of Paris, the mythological cause of
the Trojan War. It is also a pun based on the near-homonymous word malum
malum discordiae "apple of discord"
("evil"). The word for "apple" has a long a vowel in Latin and the word for "evil"
a short a vowel, but they are normally written the same.

malum quo
"the more common an
communius eo
evil is, the worse it is"
peius

A legal term meaning that something is inherently wrong (cf. malum

malum in se "wrong in itself"
prohibitum).

"wrong due to being

malum prohibitum A legal term meaning that something is only wrong because it is against the law.
prohibited"

manu militari "with a military hand" Using armed forces in order to achieve a goal.

With the implication of "signed by one's hand". Its abbreviated form is

manu propria sometimes used at the end of typewritten or printed documents or official notices,
"with one's own hand"
(m.p.) directly following the name of the person(s) who "signed" the document exactly
in those cases where there isn't an actual handwritten signature.

Originally used as the name of a ship in the Marathon game series, its usage has
spread. In the PlayStation game, Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain, the phrase was
written in blood on the walls of a vampire's feeding room. It is assumed that one
manus celer Dei "the swift hand of God" of the dying victims wrote it with his fingers. After the game's main character
surveys the bloody room, associative logic dictates that the phrase was to deify
both the vampire's wrath on shackled, powerless humans and the boundless
slaughter of his victims.
manus manum "one hand washes the famous quote from The Pumpkinification of Claudius, ascribed to Seneca the
lavat other" Younger.[1] It implies that one situation helps the other.

mare clausum "closed sea" In law, a sea under the jurisdiction of one nation and closed to all others.

mare liberum "free sea" In law, a sea open to international shipping navigation.

A nickname given to the Mediterranean Sea during the height of the Roman
mare nostrum "our sea"
Empire, as it encompassed the entire coastal basin.

A name given to describe the Virgin Mary, who gave birth to Jesus, who is also
Mater Dei "Mother of God"
called the "Son of God."

Mater Facit "Mother Does It" Used as a joke to say Mother Fuck It, though it really means "mother does it"

a Roman-law principle which has the power of praesumptio iuris et de iure,

Mater semper certa "The mother is always meaning that no counter-evidence can be made against this principle (literally:
est certain" Presumed there is no counter evidence and by the law). Its meaning is that the
mother of the child is always known.

"the mother of the

materfamilias The female head of a family. See paterfamilias.
family"

The branch of medical science concerned with the study of drugs used in the
materia medica "medical matter"
treatment of disease. Also, the drugs themselves.

Less literally, "my foot itches". Refers to a trivial situation or person that is being
me vexat pede "it annoys me at the foot"
a bother, possibly in the sense of wishing to kick that thing away.

Used in Christian prayers and confession to denote the inherently flawed nature
Mea Culpa "My Fault" of mankind. Can also be extended to mea maxima culpa ("my greatest fault").
Poorly analogous to the modern English slang "my bad".

Mea navis
"My hovercraft is full of A relatively common recent Latinization inspired by the Dirty Hungarian
aëricumbens
eels" Phrasebook sketch by Monty Python.
anguillis abundat

A well-known sequence, falsely attributed to Notker during the Middle Ages. It

Media vita in morte "In the midst of our lives
was translated by Cranmer and became a part of the burial service in the funeral
sumus we die"
rites of the Anglican Book of Common Prayer.

Mediolanum "Milan has been Used erroneously as Mediolanum Capta Est by the black metal band Mayhem as
captum est captured" an album title. Mediolanum was an ancient city in present-day Milan, Italy.
 Carrying the connotation of "always better". The motto of the University of
meliora "better things"
Rochester.

A relatively common recent Latinization from the joke phrasebook Latin for All
Melita, domi adsum "Honey, I'm home!" Occasions. Grammatically correct, but the phrase would be anachronistic in
ancient Rome.

Figuratively "be mindful of dying" or "remember your mortality", and also more
literally rendered as "remember to die", though in English this ironically misses
"remember that [you will]
memento mori the original intent. An object (such as a skull) or phrase intended to remind
die"
people of the inevitability of death. A more common theme in Christian than in
Classical art. The motto of the Trappist order.

memento vivere "a reminder of life" Also, "remember that you have to live." Literally rendered as "remember to live."

"mindful of what has

memores acti Thus, both remembering the past and foreseeing the future. From the North
been done, aware of what
prudentes futuri Hertfordshire District Council coat of arms.
will be"

"the mind moves the From Virgil. Motto of Rossall School, the University of Oregon, the University
mens agitat molem
mass" of Warwick and the Eindhoven University of Technology.

mens et manus "mind and hand" Motto of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Also "culprit mind". A term used in discussing the mindset of an accused

mens rea "guilty mind"
criminal.

mens sana in "a sound mind in a sound

Or "a sensible mind in a healthy body".
corpore sano body"

meminerunt omnia
"lovers remember all"
amantes

Or "Boastful Soldier". Title of a play of Plautus. A stock character in comedy,

the braggart soldier. (It is said that at Salamanca, there is a wall, on which
Miles Gloriosus "Glorious Soldier"
graduates inscribe their names, where Francisco Franco had a plaque installed
reading FRANCISCUS FRANCUS MILES GLORIOSUS.)

minatur
"he threatens the innocent
innocentibus qui
who spares the guilty"
parcit nocentibus

mirabile dictu "wonderful to tell"

mirabile visu "wonderful by the sight" A Roman phrase used to describe a wonderful event/happening.

Miscerique probat "He approves of the Latin Aeneid of Virgil, Book IV, line 112, "he" referring to the great Roman god,
populos et foedera mingling of the peoples who approved of the settlement of Romans in Africa. Old Motto of Trinidad and
jungi and their bonds of union" Tobago, and used in the novel A Bend in the River by V. S. Naipaul.

miserabile visu "terrible by the sight" A terrible happening or event.

A phrase within the Gloria in Excelsis Deo and the Agnus Dei, to be used at
miserere nobis "have mercy upon us"
certain points in Christian religious ceremonies.

missit me Dominus "the Lord has sent me" A phrase used by Jesus Christ.

A warrant of commitment to prison, or an instruction for a jailer to hold someone

mittimus "we send"
in prison.

"moving in a moving The motto of the Nautilus from the Jules Verne novel 20000 Leagues Under the
thing" or, poetically, Sea.
mobilis in mobili
"changing through the
changing medium"
oBOO

modus operandi
"method of operating" Usually used to describe a criminal's methods.
(M.O.)
Loosely "method of affirming", a logical rule of inference stating that from
modus ponens "method of placing"
propositions if P then Q and P, then one can conclude Q.
Loosely "method of denying", a logical rule of inference stating that from
modus tollens "method of removing"
propositions if P then Q and not Q, then one can conclude not P.
Dog Latin based on wordplay with modus ponens and modus tollens, referring to
modus morons
— the common logical fallacy that if P then Q and not P, then one can conclude not
(Dog Latin)
Q (cf. contraposition).
An accommodation between disagreeing parties to allow life to go on. A
modus vivendi "method of living"
practical compromise.
montani semper "mountaineers [are]
State motto of West Virginia, adopted in 1872.
liberi always free"
Montis Insignia "Badge of the Rock of
Calpe Gibraltar"
Mortui Vivos "(Let the) dead teach the Used to justify dissections of human cadavers in order to understand the cause of
Docent living" death.
more ferarum "like beasts" used to describe any sexual act in the manner of beasts
morituri nolumus "we who are about to die
From Terry Pratchett's The Last Hero
mori don't want to"
Used once in Suetonius' Life of the Divine Claudius, chapter 21, by the
"we who are about to die condemned prisoners manning galleys about to take part in a mock naval battle
morituri te salutant
salute you" on Lake Fucinus in AD 52. Popular misconception ascribes it as a gladiator's
salute.
mors certa, hora "death is certain, its hour
incerta is uncertain"
From medieval Latin, it indicates that battle for survival, where your defeat is
mors tua vita mea "your death, my life"
necessary for my victory, survival.
mors vincit omnia "death conquers all" or An axiom often found on headstones.
 "death always wins"
From Gerhard Gerhards' (1466-1536) [better known as Erasmus] collection of
mortuum flagellas "you are flogging a dead" annotated Adagia (1508). Criticising one who will not be affected in any way by
the criticism.
an unwritten code of laws and conduct, of the Romans. It institutionalized
"the custom of our
mos maiorum cultural traditions, societal mores, and general policies, as distinct from specific
ancestors"
laws.
Or "by his own accord." Identifies a class of papal documents, administrative
motu proprio "on his own initiative"
papal bulls.
From Gerhard Gerhards' (1466-1536) [better known as Erasmus] collection of
mulgere hircum "to milk a male goat"
annotated Adagia (1508). Attempting the impossible.
multis e gentibus "from many peoples,
Motto of Saskatchewan.
vires strength"
Conciseness. The motto of Rutland, a county in central England.
multum in parvo "much in little"
Latin phrases are often multum in parvo, conveying
much in few words.
"the world wants to be
mundus vult decipi From James Branch Cabell.
deceived"
munit haec et altera "this one defends and the
Motto of Nova Scotia.
vincit other one conquers"
"with those things
mutatis mutandis changed which needed to Thus, "with the appropriate changes".
be changed"

[edit] N

Latin Translation Notes

Nasciturus pro iam "The unborn is deemed to

nato habetur, quotiens have been born to the Refers to a situation where an unborn child is deemed to be entitled to
de commodis eius extent that his own certain inheritance rights.
agitur inheritance is concerned"

natura abhorret a
"nature abhors a vacuum"
vacuo

natura non
"nature is not saddened" That is, the natural world is not sentimental or compassionate.
contristatur

"nature does not make a Shortened form of "sicut natura nil facit per saltum ita nec lex" ("just as
natura non facit
leap, thus neither does the nature does nothing by a leap, so neither does the law"), referring to both
saltum ita nec lex
law" nature and the legal system moving gradually.

A famous aphorism of Linnaeus stating that all organisms bear relationships

natura non facit saltus "nature makes no leaps" on all sides, their forms changing gradually from one species to the next.
From Philosophia Botanica.

navigare necesse est "to sail is necessary; to live Attributed by Plutarch to Gnaeus Pompeius, who, during a severe storm,
vivere non est necesse is not necessary" commanded sailors to bring food from Africa to Rome.
 Also nec plus ultra or non plus ultra. A descriptive phrase meaning the best
or most extreme example of something. The Pillars of Hercules, for
example, were literally the nec plus ultra of the ancient Mediterranean
nec plus ultra "nothing more beyond"
world. Charles V's heraldic emblem reversed this idea, using a depiction of
this phrase inscribed on the Pillars—as plus ultra, without the negation. This
represented Spain's expansion into the New World.

Thus, don't offer your opinion on things that are outside your competence. It
is said that the Greek painter Apelles once asked the advice of a cobbler on
ne sutor ultra "Cobbler, no further than how to render the sandals of a soldier he was painting. When the cobbler
crepidam the sandal!" started offering advice on other parts of the painting, Apelles rebuked him
with this phrase in Greek, and it subsequently became a popular Latin
expression.

Do not get distracted. This Latin phrase is also the motto for Bishop Cotton
nec dextrorsum, nec "Neither to the right nor to
Boys School and the Bishop Cotton Girls High school, both located in
sinistrorsum the left"
Bangalore, India.

"without hope, without

nec spe, nec metu
fear"

nec tamen "and yet it was not Refers to the Burning Bush of Exodus 3:2. Motto of many Presbyterian
consumebatur consumed" churches throughout the world, including Australia.

The motto of the Dutch 11th air manoeuvre brigade 11 Air Manoeuvre
nec temere nec timide "neither reckless nor timid"
Brigade

said by Arnaud Amaury, the Abbot of Citeaux, the Papal Legate. Recorded
by a monk who was present at the time. The Abbot had been asked by the
neca eos omnes, deus "kill them all, god will military commander of the crusade, the Earl of Leicester, how best to deal
suos agnoscet know his own." with the heretics and this is how he replied. The phrase has been adapted to
"Kill them all, let God sort 'em out" and is a commonly used military
proverb to this day.

nemine contradicente "with no one speaking Less literally, "without dissent". Used especially in committees, where a
(nem. con.) against" matter may be passed nem. con., or unanimously.

nemo dat quod non "no one gives what he does

Thus, "none can pass better title than they have".
habet not have"

nemo est supra legis "nobody is above the law"

nemo iudex in sua "no man shall be a judge in Legal principle that no individual can preside over a hearing in which he
causa his own cause" holds a specific interest or bias.

"peace visits not the guilty Also translated to "no peace for the wicked." Refers to the inherent
nemo malus felix
mind" psychological issues that plague bad/guilty people.
 Motto of the Order of the Thistle, and consequently of Scotland, found
nemo me impune "no one provokes me with stamped on the milled edge of certain British pound sterling coins. It is also
lacessit impunity" the motto of the Montressors in the Edgar Allan Poe short story "The Cask
of Amontillado"

nemo mortalium "No mortal is wise at all

The wisest may make mistakes.
omnibus horis sapit times"

nemo nisi per "No one learns except by

Used to imply that one must like a subject in order to study it.
amicitiam cognoscitur friendship"

The short and more common form of "Nemo enim fere saltat sobrius, nisi
nemo saltat sobrius "Nobody dances sober"
forte insanit", "Nobody dances sober, unless he is completely insane."

A maxim banning mandatory self-incrimination. Near-synonymous with

accusare nemo se debet nisi coram Deo. Similar phrases include: nemo
tenetur armare adversarium contra se ("no one is bound to arm an opponent
against himself"), meaning that a defendant is not obligated to in any way
assist the prosecutor to his own detriment; nemo tenetur edere instrumenta
nemo tenetur seipsum "no one is bound to accuse
contra se ("no one is bound to produce documents against himself",
accusare himself"
meaning that a defendant is not obligated to provide materials to be used
against himself (this is true in Roman law and has survived in modern
criminal law, but no longer applies in modern civil law); and nemo tenere
prodere seipsum ("no one is bound to betray himself"), meaning that a
defendant is not obligated to testify against himself.

nervos belli, pecuniam "Endless money forms the In war, it is essential to be able to purchase supplies and to pay troops (as
infinitam sinews of war" Napoleon put it, "An army marches on its stomach").

"nothing to do with the

nihil ad rem That is, in law, irrelevant and / or inconsequential.
point"

nihil dicit "he says nothing" In law, a declination by a defendant to answer charges or put in a plea.

Or just "nothing new". The phrase exists in two versions: as nihil novi sub
sole ("nothing new under the sun"), from the Vulgate, and as nihil novi nisi
nihil novi "nothing of the new" commune consensu ("nothing new unless by the common consensus"), a
1505 law of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and one of the
cornerstones of its Golden Liberty.

A notation, usually on a title page, indicating that a Roman Catholic censor

nihil obstat "nothing prevents" has reviewed the book and found nothing objectionable to faith or morals in
its content. See also imprimatur.

The motto of the Kingdom of Romania, while ruled by the Hohenzollern-

Nihil sine Deo "Nothing without God"
Sigmaringen dynasty (1878 - 1947).
nil admirari "be surprised at nothing"

"nothing must be despaired

nil desperandum That is, "never despair".
at"

Short for nil nisi bonum de mortuis dicere. That is, "Don't speak ill of
"(about the dead say)
nil nisi bonum anyone who has died". Also "Nil magnum nisi bonum" ("nothing is great
nothing unless (it is) good"
unless good"), motto of St Catherine's School, Toorak.

"no terror, except to the

nil nisi malis terrori The motto of King's School, Macclesfield.
bad"

"nothing through the Medical shorthand indicating that oral foods and fluids should be withheld
nil per os (n.p.o.)
mouth" from the patient.

"nothing [is] enough unless

nil satis nisi optimum Motto of Everton Football Club, residents of Goodison Park, Liverpool.
[it is] the best"

Or "nothing without providence". State motto of Colorado, adopted in 1861.

"nothing without the divine Probably derived from Virgil's Aeneid Book II, line 777, "non haec sine
nil sine numine
will" numine devum eveniunt" ("these things do not come to pass without the will
of the gods"). See also numina.

"Nothing [is] arduous for

nil volentibus arduum "Nothing is impossible for the willing"
the willing"

"if not the Lord, [it is] in
nisi Dominus frustra
vain"
That is, "everything is in vain without God". Summarized from Psalm 127,
"nisi Dominus aedificaverit domum in vanum laboraverunt qui aedificant
eam nisi Dominus custodierit civitatem frustra vigilavit qui custodit"
("unless the Lord builds the house, they work on a useless thing who build
it; unless the Lord guards the community, he keeps watch in vain who
guards it"). The motto of Edinburgh.

In England, a direction that a case be brought up to Westminster for trial

before a single judge and jury. In the United States, a court where civil
nisi prius "unless previously"
actions are tried by a single judge sitting with a jury, as distinguished from
an appellate court.

That is, "whether unwillingly or willingly". Sometimes rendered volens

nolens, aut nolens aut volens or nolentis volentis. Similar to willy-nilly,
nolens volens "unwilling, willing"
though that word is derived from Old English will-he nil-he ("[whether] he
will or [whether] he will not").

Commonly translated "touch me not". According to the Gospel of John, this

noli me tangere "do not touch me"
was said by Jesus to Mary Magdalene after his resurrection.
 That is, "Don't upset my calculations!" Said by Archimedes to a Roman
noli turbare circulos "Do not disturb my
soldier who, despite having been given orders not to, killed Archimedes at
meos circles!"
the conquest of Syracuse. The soldier was executed for his act.

Nolite te bastardes From 'The Handmaid's Tale' by Margaret Atwood. Offred finds the phrase
"Don't let the bastards
carborundorum inscribed on the inside of her wardrobe. One of many variants of Illegitimi
grind you down"
(Dog Latin) non carborundum.

"to be unwilling to A legal motion by a prosecutor or other plaintiff to drop legal charges,
nolle prosequi
prosecute" usually in exchange for a diversion program or out-of-court settlement.

That is, "no contest". A plea that can be entered on behalf of a defendant in
a court that states that the accused doesn't admit guilt, but will accept
nolo contendere "I do not wish to contend"
punishment for a crime. Nolo contendere pleas cannot be used as evidence
in another trial.

nomen dubium "doubtful name" A scientific name of unknown or doubtful application.

nomen est omen "the name is a sign" Thus, "true to its name".

nomen nescio (N.N.) "I do not know the name" Thus, the name or person in question is unknown.

A purported scientific name that does not fulfill the proper formal criteria
nomen nudum "naked name"
and therefore cannot be used unless it is subsequently proposed correctly.

"not twice in the same

non bis in idem A legal principle forbidding double jeopardy.
thing"

"not the cause for the Also known as the "questionable cause" or "false cause". Refers to any
non causa pro causa
cause" logical fallacy where a cause is incorrectly identified.

See compos mentis. Also rendered non compos sui ("not in control of
"not in control of the
non compos mentis himself"). Samuel Johnson, author of the first English dictionary, theorized
mind"
that the word nincompoop may derive from this phrase.

non ducor duco "I am not led; I lead" Motto of São Paulo city, Brazil. See also pro Brasilia fiant eximia.

"you should not make evil

non facias malum ut More simply, "don't do wrong to do right". The direct opposite of the phrase
in order that good may be
inde fiat bonum "the ends justify the means".
made from it"

non impediti ratione "unencumbered by the

Motto of radio show Car Talk.
congitatonis thought process"
non in legendo sed in "the laws depend not on
intelligendo legis being read, but on being
consistunt understood"

Also "it is not clear" or "it is not evident". A sometimes controversial

non liquet "it is not proven" decision handed down by a judge when they feel that the law is not
complete.

non mihi solum "not for myself alone" Motto of Anderson Junior College, Singapore.

Appears in Cicero de officiis, 1:22 in the form non nobis solum nati sumus
non nobis solum "not for ourselves alone"
("we are not born for ourselves alone").

non nobis solum nati "not unto ourselves alone

Motto of Willamette University, Salem, Oregon.
sumus are we born"

A judgment notwithstanding verdict, a legal motion asking the court to

"not standing in the way of
non obstante veredicto reverse the jury's verdict on the grounds that the jury could not have reached
a verdict"
such a verdict reasonably.

non olet "it doesn't smell" See pecunia non olet.

"Not all of me will die", a phrase expressing the belief that a part of the
non omnis moriar "I shall not all die"
speaker will survive beyond death.

Can be used to describe the point of no return, or the point at which one
cannot or should not go further. "The non plus ultra in the art of the possible
(politics) consists of withdrawing from an untenable position." Hans
non plus ultra "nothing further beyond"
Magnus Enzensberger [2]. Speaking in 1990, he is referring to the fact that
those who had supported Communism in East Europe were in a position that
was uncomfortable for them.

non possumus "not possible"

non progredi est "to not go forward is to go

regredi backward"

A judgment in favor of a defendant when the plaintiff failed to take the

non prosequitur "he does not proceed"
necessary steps in an action within the time allowed.

Non scholae sed vitae "We learn not for school,

from Seneca. Also, motto of the Istanbul Bilgi University.
discimus but for life."

non quis sed quid "not who but what" Used in the sense "what matters is not who says it but what he says" – a
 warning against ad hominem arguments.

In general, a non sequitur is a comment which is absurd due to not making

sense in its context (rather than due to being inherently nonsensical or
non sequitur "it does not follow"
internally inconsistent), often used in humor. As a logical fallacy, a non
sequitur is a conclusion that does not follow from a premise.

Possibly derived from a Vulgate mistranslation of the Book of Jeremiah.

non serviam "I will not serve" Commonly used in literature as Satan's statement of disobedience to God,
though in the original context the quote is attributed to Israel, not Satan.

Non sibi "Not for self." A slogan used by many schools and universities.

"Not for one's self but for A slogan used by many schools and universities. Including Tulane
Non sibi sed suis
one's own." University.

"Not for self, but for

Non silba, sed anthar;
others; God will A slogan used by the Ku Klux Klan.
Deo vindice
vindicate."

Or "I am not the kind of person I once was". Expresses a change in the
non sum qualis eram "I am not such as I was"
speaker.

Non teneas aurum

"Do not hold as gold all Also, "All that glitters is not gold." Parabolae. Also used by Shakespeare in
totum quod splendet ut
that shines as gold." The Merchant of Venice
aurum

Non tiemblo mala "I do not fear evil" This is the phrase read in the Colt, in Supernatural.

"Not through violence, but

non vi, sed verbo Martin Luther on Catholic church reform. (see Reformation)
through the word alone

From Cicero, based on the Greek γνῶθι σεαυτόν (gnothi seauton), inscribed
on the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. A non-traditional Latin rendering, temet
nosce te ipsum "know thyself"
nosce ("thine own self know"), is translated in The Matrix as "know
thyself".

noster nostri "Our Hearts Beat As One"

nota bene (n.b.) "mark well" That is, "please note" or "note it well".

From Virgil. Motto on the Great Seal of the United States. Similar to Novus
Novus Ordo Seclorum "New Order of the Ages"
Ordo Mundi ("New world order").
 "Not a day without a line
Nulla dies sine linea Pliny the Elder attributes this maxim to Apelles, an ancient Greek artist.
drawn."

Refers to the legal principle that one cannot be punished for doing
Nulla poena sine lege no penalty without a law something that is not prohibited by law, and is related to Nullum crimen,
nulla poena sine praevia lege poenali.

That is, "nothing". It has been theorized that this expression is the origin of
nullam rem natam "no thing born" Italian nulla, French rien, and Spanish and Portuguese nada, all with the
same meaning.

Motto of the Coldstream Guardsand Nine Squadron Royal Australian Corps

nulli secundus "second to none"
of Transport.

Nullius in verba "On the word of no man" Motto of the Royal Society.

Legal principle meaning that one cannot be penalised for doing something
nullum crimen, nulla "no crime, no punishment that is not prohibited by law. It also means that penal law cannot be enacted
poena sine lege without law" retroactively. See also Nullum crimen et nulla poena sine lege and Nullum
crimen, nulla poena sine praevia lege poenali

nullum magnum "There has been no great

ingenium sine mixtura wisdom without an
dementiae fuit element of madness"

numerus clausus "closed number" A method to limit the number of students who may study at a university.

In the Gospel of Luke, spoken by Simeon while holding the baby Jesus
"now you are sending when he felt he was ready to be dismissed into the afterlife ("he had seen the
nunc dimittis
away" light"). Often used in the same way the phrase Eureka is used, as a jubilant
exclamation of revelation.

Carpe-Diem-type phrase from the Odes of Horace, "Nunc est bibendum,

nunc est bibendum "now is the time to drink" nunc pede libero pulsanda tellus" (Now is the time to drink, now the time to
dance footloose upon the earth).

nunc pro tunc "now for then" Something that has retroactive effect, is effective from an earlier date.

nunc scio quid sit amor "now I know what love is" From Virgil, Eclogues VIII.

nunquam minus solus "never less alone than

quam cum solus when alone."

nunquam non paratus "never unprepared" Motto of the Scottish clan Johnston
 1. ^ Harbottle, Thomas Benfield (1906). Dictionary of Quotations (Classical). The Macmillan co..
2. ^ Enzensberger, Hans Magnus. "The State of Europe," in Granta: The First Twenty-One Years. (London, Granta
Books: 2001) pg 181.

[edit] O

Latin Translation Notes

Attributed (in Tacitus, Annales, III, 65) to the Emperor Tiberius, in disgust
O homines ad
"Men fit to be slaves!" at the servile attitude of Roman senators. Used of those who should be
servitutem paratos
leaders but instead slavishly follow the lead of others.

"Oh, the times! Oh, the

O tempora O mores Also translated "What times! What customs!" From Cicero, Catilina I, 1, 2.
morals!"

"He died" or "she died", an inscription on gravestones. ob. also sometimes

obiit (ob.) "one died"
stands for obiter ("in passing" or "incidentally").

"The old woman dies, the

Obit anus, abit onus Arthur Schopenhauer.
burden is lifted"

In law, an observation by a judge on some point of law not directly relevant

to the case before him, and thus neither requiring his decision nor serving
obiter dictum "a thing said in passing"
as a precedent, but nevertheless of persuasive authority. In general, any
comment, remark or observation made in passing.

"the truth being enveloped

obscuris vera involvens From Virgil.
by obscure things"

obscurum per "the obscure by means of An explanation that is less clear than what it tries to explain. Synonymous
obscurius the more obscure" with ignotum per ignotius.

oculus dexter (O.D.) "right eye" Ophthalmologist shorthand.

oculus sinister (O.S.) "left eye" Ophthalmologist shorthand.

"let them hate, so long as Favorite saying of Caligula, attributed originally to Lucius Accius, Roman
oderint dum metuant
they fear" tragic poet (170 BC). Recently a motto on an official Triple H T-shirt

odi et amo "I hate and I love" The opening of Catullus 85. The entire poem reads, "odi et amo quare id
faciam fortasse requiris / nescio sed fieri sentio et excrucior" ("I hate and I
 love. Why do I do this, you perhaps ask. / I do not know, but I feel it
happening and am tormented.").

odi profanum vulgus et "I hate the unholy rabble

From Horace.
arceo and keep them away"

odium theologicum "theological hatred" A name for the special hatred generated in theological disputes.

From Gerhard Gerhards' (1466-1536) [better known as Erasmus] collection

oleum camino "(To pour) oil on the fire"
of annotated Adagia (1508).

omnes vulnerant,
"All [the hours] wound,
postuma necat or omnes Usual in clocks, reminding the reader of death.
last one kills".
feriunt, ultima necat

omne ignotum pro "every unknown thing [is

Or "everything unknown appears magnificent".
magnifico taken] for great"

Or "everything sounds more impressive when said in Latin". A more

omnia dicta fortiora si "everything said [is]
common phrase with the same meaning is quidquid Latine dictum sit altum
dicta Latina stronger if said in Latin"
videtur.

omnia mutantur, nihil "everything changes, but Quoted in issue Neil Gaiman's comic The Sandman (Sandman #74,
interit nothing is truly lost" "Exiles")

omnia vincit amor "Love conquers all". From Ovid.

"Every living thing is from A foundational concept of modern biology, opposing the theory of
omne vivum ex ovo
an egg" spontaneous generation.

"everything [is] pure to the

omnia munda mundis From The New Testament.
pure [men]"

"all things are presumed to

omnia praesumuntur
be lawfully done, until it is
legitime facta donec In other words, "innocent until proven guilty".
shown [to be] in the
probetur in contrarium
reverse"

The motto of P.C. Hooft, usually accompanied by a sun, which shines for
omnibus idem "the same to all"
(almost) everyone.

omnium gatherum "gathering of all" A miscellaneous collection or assortment. Often used facetiously.
onus probandi "burden of proof"

onus procedendi "burden of procedure" Burden of a party to adduce evidence that a case is an exception to the rule

opera omnia "all works" The collected works of an author.

opera posthuma "posthumous works" Works published after the author's death.

"in the work that was Used in academic works when referring again to the last source mentioned
opere citato (op. cit.)
cited" or used.

opere et viritate "in action and truth" Doing what you believe is morally right through everyday actions.

opere laudato (op.

See opere citato
laud.)

"leading the way with

operibus anteire To speak with actions instead of words.
deeds"

ophidia in herba "a snake in the grass" Any hidden danger or unknown risk.

opus anglicanum "English work" Fine embroidery. Especially used to describe church vestments.

Opus Dei is a Catholic institution founded by Saint Josemaría Escrivá. Its

Opus Dei "The Work of God" mission is to help people turn their work and daily activities into occasions
for growing closer to God, for serving others, and for improving society.

The Motto of Order of Saint Benedict as well as the motto for St. Joseph's
Institution, Dalhousie Law School, Halifax Nova Scotia, and Infant Jesus
ora et labora "pray and work"
Anglo-Indian Higher Secondary School, Tangasseri, India, and other
institutions.

ora pro nobis "pray for us"

oratio directa "direct speech" An expression from Latin grammar. cf. "oratio obliqua."

oratio obliqua "indirect speech" An expression from Latin grammar. cf. "oratio directa."

orbis non sufficit "the world does not Originates from Juvenal's Tenth Satire, referring to Alexander the Great.
suffice" James Bond's adopted family motto in the novel On Her Majesty's Secret
"the world is not enough" Service. It made a brief appearance in the film adaptation of the same name
 and was later used as the title of the nineteenth James Bond film, The
World Is Not Enough.

orbis unum "One world" Seen in The Legend of Zorro.

"Out of chaos, comes

ordo ab chao The phrase is one of the oldest mottos of Craft Freemasonry.[citation needed]
order"

orta recens quam pura "newly risen, how brightly

Motto of New South Wales.
nites you shine"

[edit] P

Latin Translation Notes

Loosely, "be at peace", "with due deference to", "by leave of" or "no offense to".
pace "with peace"
Used to politely acknowledge someone who disagrees with the speaker or writer.

pace tua "with your peace" Thus, "with your permission".

"agreements must be
pacta sunt servanda Also "contracts must be honoured". Indicates the binding power of treaties.
kept"

Also "dare to try". Motto of Korowa Anglican Girls' School, Stratford High
palma non sine "no reward without School (New Zealand), Friends School of Baltimore, Victoria High School
pulvere effort" (British Columbia), St. Stephen High School (New Brunswick) and
Indooroopilly State High School.

From Juvenal, Satire X, line 81. Originally described all that was needed for
panem et circenses "bread and circuses" emperors to placate the Roman mob. Today used to describe any entertainment
used to distract public attention from more important matters.

From "Si vis pacem para bellum" if you want peace prepare for war since if you
para bellum "prepare for war" are ready for war your enemies will not attack. Can be used to denote support or
approval for a war or conflict.

A public policy requiring courts to protect the best interests of any child involved
parens patriae "parent of the nation"
in a lawsuit. See also Pater Patriae.

pari passu "with equal step" Thus, "moving together", "simultaneously", etc.

parva sub ingenti "the small under the Implies that the weak are under the protection of the strong, rather than that they
huge" are inferior. Motto of Prince Edward Island.
 "When you are steeped
Parvis imbutus
in little things, you shall Motto of Barnard Castle School, sometimes translated as "Once you have
tentabis grandia
safely attempt great accomplished small things, you may attempt great ones safely"
tutus
things"

Less literally, "throughout" or "frequently". Said of a word that occurs several

passim "here and there" times in a cited text. Also used in proofreading, where it refers to a change that is
to be repeated everywhere needed.

Or "master of the house". The eldest male in a family, who held patria potestas
("paternal power"). In Roman law, a father had enormous power over his
pater familias "father of the family" children, wife, and slaves, though these rights dwindled over time. Derived from
the phrase pater familias, an Old Latin expression preserving the archaic -as
ending.

Pater Patriae "Father of the Nation" Also rendered with the gender-neutral parens patriae ("parent of the nation").

pater peccavi "father, I have sinned" The traditional beginning of a Roman Catholic confession.

Patrem
"Father Almighty" A more direct translation would be "omnipotent father".
Omnipotentem

Patriam fecisti "From differing peoples

diversis de gentibus you have made one
unam native land"

From The King and I by Rodgers and Hammerstein. Said to be one of Carl
pauca sed matura "few, but ripe"
Gauss's favorite quotations.

Similar to "quality over quantity"; though there may be few of something, at

pauca sed bona "few, but good"
least they are of good quality.

pax aeterna "eternal peace" A common epitaph.

A euphemism for the United States of America and its sphere of influence.
Pax Americana "American Peace"
Adapted from Pax Romana.

Pax Britannica "British Peace" A euphemism for the British Empire. Adapted from Pax Romana.

Used as a wish before the H.Communion in the RC Mass, also the name of the
Pax Christi "Peace of Christ"
peace movement Pax Christi
pax Dei "peace of God" Used in the Peace and Truce of God movement in 10th-Century France.

Like the vast majority of inhabitants of the ancient world, the Romans practiced
Pax Deorum "Peace of the Gods" pagan rituals, believing it important to achieve a state of Pax Deorum (The Peace
of the Gods) instead of Ira Deorum (The Wrath of the Gods).

lord or master; used as a form of address when speaking to clergy or educated

Pax Domine "Peace, lord"
professionals.

Motto of St. Francis of Assisi and, consequently, of his monastery in Assisi, in

pax et bonum "peace and the good"
the Umbria region of Italy. Translated in Italian as pace e bene.

pax et lux "peace and light" Motto of Tufts University.

pax in terra "Peace on earth" Used to exemplify the desired state of peace on earth.

Pax Europea "European peace" A euphemism for Europe after World War II

"peace of mothers,
pax maternum, ergo If the mother is peaceful, then the family is peaceful. The reverse of the Southern
therefore peace of
pax familiarum American saying, "If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy."
families"

Pax Mongolica "Mongolian Peace" A period of peace and prosperity in Asia during the Mongol Empire.

Pax Romana "Roman Peace" A period of relative prosperity and lack of conflict in the early Roman Empire.

Pax Sinica "Chinese Peace" A period of peace in East Asia during times of strong Chinese hegemony.

Pax tecum "Peace be with you" (Singular)

A common farewell. The "you" is plural ("you all"), so the phrase must be used
pax vobiscum "peace [be] with you" when speaking to more than one person; pax tecum is the form used when
speaking to only one person.

Telegraph message and pun from Charles Napier, British general, upon
Peccavi "I have sinned" completely subjugating the Indian province of Sindh in 1842. This is, arguably,
the most terse military despatch ever sent. The story is apocryphal.
 According to Suetonius, when Emperor Vespasian was challenged by his son
Titus for taxing the public lavatories, the emperor held up a coin before his son
"the money doesn't
pecunia non olet and asked whether it smelled or simply said non olet ("it doesn't smell"). From
smell"
this, the phrase was expanded to pecunia non olet, or rarely aes non olet ("copper
doesn't smell").

"if you know how to use

pecunia, si uti scis,
money, money is your
ancilla est; si nescis, Written on an old Latin tablet in downtown Verona (Italy).
slave; if you don't,
domina
money is your master"

pendent opera "the work hangs

From the Aeneid of Virgil, Book IV.
interrupta interrupted"

"By, through, by means

per See specific phrases below.
of"

per angusta ad "through difficulties to

The motto of numerous educational establishments.
augusta greatness"

per annum (pa.) "through a year" Thus, "yearly"—occurring every year.

per ardua "through adversity" Motto of the British RAF Regiment

Motto of the British Royal Air Force, the Royal Australian Air Force, the Royal
Canadian Air Force, and the Royal New Zealand Air Force. The phrase is used
by Latin Poet Virgil in the Aeneid also used in H. Rider Haggard's famous novel
"through struggles to the
per ardua ad astra The People of the Mist, and was selected and approved as a motto for the Royal
stars"
Flying Corps on March 15, 1913. In 1929, the Royal Australian Air Force
decided to adopt it as well. It is also the school slogan for Trondheim Cathedral
School (Scholae Cathedralis Nidrosiensis) and the Bundaberg State High School.

From Seneca the Younger. Motto of NASA and the South African Air Force. A
common variant, ad astra per aspera ("to the stars through hardships"), is the
"through hardships to
per aspera ad astra state motto of Kansas. Ad Astra ("To the Stars") is the title of a magazine
the stars"
published by the National Space Society. De Profundus Ad Astra ("From the
depths to the stars.") is the motto of the LASFS.

per capsulam "through the small box" That is, "by letter".

per capita "through the heads" "Per head", i.e., "per person". The singular is per caput ("through a head").

per contra "through the contrary" Or "on the contrary" (cf. a contrario).

per curiam "through the senate" Legal term meaning "by the court", as in a per curiam decision.
per definitionem "through the definition" Thus, "by definition".

Thus, "per day". A specific amount of money an organization allows an

per diem (pd.) "through a day"
individual to spend per day, typically for travel expenses.

Per Mare per

"By Sea and by Land" Motto of the Royal Marines and (with small difference) of Clan Donald.
Terram

per mensem (pm.) "through a month" Thus, "per month", or "monthly".

per os (p.o.) "through the mouth" Medical shorthand for "by mouth".

Used of a certain place can be traversed or reached by foot, or to indicate that

per pedes "by feet"
one is travelling by foot as opposed to by a vehicle.

Also rendered per procurationem. Used to indicate that a person is signing a

document on behalf of another person. Correctly placed before the name of the
per procura (p.p.) or
"through the agency" person signing, but often placed before the name of the person on whose behalf
(per pro)
the document is signed, sometimes through incorrect translation of the alternative
abbreviation per pro. as "for and on behalf of".

In a UK legal context: "by reason of which" (as opposed to per se which requires
per quod "by reason of which" no reasoning). In American jurisprudence often refers to a spouse's claim for loss
of consortium.

per rectum (pr) "through the rectum" Medical shorthand. See also per os.

Also "by itself" or "in itself". Without referring to anything else, intrinsically,
per se "through itself" taken without qualifications, etc. A common example is negligence per se. See
also malum in se.

Used in wills to indicate that each "branch" of the testator's family should inherit
per stirpes "through the roots"
equally. Contrasted with per capita.

per unitatem vis "through unity, strength" Motto of Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets.

per veritatem vis "through truth, strength" Motto of Washington University in St. Louis.

Motto of St Aidan's Anglican Girls' School and St Margaret's Anglican Girls

per volar sunata "born to fly upwards"
School.

perpetuum mobile "thing in perpetual A musical term. Also used to refer to hypothetical perpetual motion machines.
motion"
 An unwelcome, unwanted or undesirable person. In diplomatic contexts, a person
rejected by the host government. The reverse, persona grata ("pleasing person"),
persona non grata "person not pleasing"
is less common, and refers to a diplomat acceptable to the government of the
country to which he is sent.

"request of the Begging the question, a logical fallacy in which a proposition to be proved is
petitio principii
beginning" implicitly or explicitly assumed in one of the premises.

pia desideria "pious longings" Or "dutiful desires".

Or "dutiful deceit". Expression from Ovid. Used to describe deception which

pia fraus "pious fraud"
serves Church purposes.

Or "tender mother". Translated into Latin from Arabic. The delicate innermost of
pia mater "pious mother"
the three membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord.

Thus, "he painted this" or "she painted this". Formerly used on works of art, next
pinxit "one painted"
to the artist's name.

The first-person plural pronoun when used by an important personage to refer to

pluralis majestatis "plural of majesty"
himself or herself; also known as the "royal we".

plus Ultra "further beyond" The national motto of Spain and a number of other institutions.

Used by Roman crowds to pass judgment on a defeated gladiator. The type of

pollice verso "with a turned thumb" gesture used is uncertain. Also the name of a famous painting depicting
gladiators by Jean-Léon Gérôme.

Any obstacle that stupid people find hard to cross. Originally used of Euclid's
pons asinorum "bridge of asses"
Fifth Proposition in geometry.

Or "Supreme Pontiff". Originally an office in the Roman Republic, later a title

held by Roman Emperors, and later a traditional epithet of the pope. The
pontifices were the most important priestly college of the ancient Roman
Pontifex Maximus "Greatest High Priest"
religion; their name is usually thought to derive from pons facere ("to make a
bridge"), which in turn is usually linked to their religious authority over the
bridges of Rome, especially the Pons Sublicius.

Thus, to be able to be made into part of a retinue or force. In common law, posse
posse comitatus "force of the county" comitatus is a sheriff's right to compel people to assist law enforcement in
unusual situations.
 "after it or by means of Causality between two phenomena is not established (cf. post hoc, ergo propter
post aut propter
it" hoc).

post cibum (p.c.) "after food" Medical shorthand for "after meals" (cf. ante cibum).

Post Coitum Omne "After sexual intercourse

Latin proverb.
Animal Triste Est every animal is sad"

post coitus "After sex" After sexual intercourse.

post hoc ergo "after this, therefore A logical fallacy where one assumes that one thing happening after another thing
propter hoc because of this" means that the first thing caused the second. The title of a West Wing episode.

post meridiem (p.m.) "after midday" The period from noon to midnight (cf. ante meridiem).

post mortem (pm) "after death" Usually rendered postmortem. Not to be confused with post meridiem.

The phrase is used in legal terminology in the context of intellectual property

Post mortem
"after the author's death" rights, especially copyright, which commonly lasts until a certain number of
auctoris (p.m.a.)
years after the author's death.

"after the time before

post prandial Refers to the time after any meal. Usually rendered postprandial.
midday"

"after what has been A postscript. Used to mark additions to a letter, after the signature. Can be
post scriptum (p.s.)
written" extended to post post scriptum (p.p.s.), etc.

A motto of the Protestant Reformation inscribed on the Reformation Wall in

Post Tenebras Lux,
"after darkness, [I hope Geneva, Switzerland from Job 17:12. A former motto of Chile, replaced by the
post tenebras spero
for] light" current one, Por la Razón o la Fuerza (Spanish: "By Right or Might"). A motto
lucem (Vulgata)
of Robert College of Istanbul. Another obsolete motto is aut concilio aut ense.

Praemonitus "forewarned is
The motto that to be forewarned is to be forearmed.
praemunitus forearmed"

Praesis ut Prosis ne "Lead in order to serve,

The motto of Lancaster Royal Grammar School.
ut imperes not in order to rule"

Used to designate evidence in a trial which is suggestive, but not conclusive, of

prima facie "at first sight"
something (e.g., a person's guilt).

prima luce "at dawn" Literally "at first light"

Primas sum: "I am a primate; nothing
A sentence by the American anthropologist Earnest Albert Hooton and the
primatum nil a me about primates is outside
slogan of primatologists and lovers of the primates.
alienum puto of my bailiwick"

primum mobile "first moving thing" Or "first thing able to be moved". See primum movens.

Or "first moving one". A common theological term, such as in the cosmological

argument, based on the assumption that God was the first entity to "move" or
primum movens "prime mover"
"cause" anything. Aristotle was one of the first philosophers to discuss the
"uncaused cause", a hypothetical originator—and violator—of causality.

primum non nocere "first, to not harm"
A medical precept. Often falsely attributed to the Hippocratic Oath, though its
true source is probably a paraphrase from Hippocrates' Epidemics, where he
wrote, "Declare the past, diagnose the present, foretell the future; practice these
acts. As to diseases, make a habit of two things: to help, or at least to do no
harm."

primus inter pares "first among equals" A title of the Roman Emperors (cf. princeps).

principia probant "principles prove; they

Fundamental principles require no proof; they are assumed a priori.
non probantur are not proved"

prior tempore potior "earlier in time, stronger A legal principle that older laws take precedent over newer ones. Another name
iure in law" for this principle is lex posterior.

The full phrase is pro bono publico ("for the public good"). Said of work
pro bono "for the good" undertaken voluntarily at no expense, such as public services. Often used of a
lawyer's work that is not charged for.

pro Brasilia fiant "let exceptional things

Motto of São Paulo state, Brazil. See also non ducor duco.
eximia be made for Brazil"

Motto of St. Johns High School, Chandigarh, India, American University,

Pro deo et patria "For God and Country" Washington, DC, St Peter's College, South Australia, and Iona Presentation
College, Perth.

Or "as a matter of form". Prescribing a set form or procedure, or performed in a

pro forma "for form"
set manner.

"for gloria and

pro gloria et patria Motto of Prussia
fatherland"
pro hac vice "for this occasion" Request of a state court to allow an out-of-state lawyer to represent a client.

It is part of the Rite of Consecration of the wine in the Western Christian

Pro multis "for many"
tradition, as part of the Mass.

Pro Patria Medal:- for operational service (minimum 55 days) in defence of the
Republic South Africa or in the prevention or suppression of terrorism; issued for
pro patria "for country" the Border War (counter-insurgency operations in South West Africa 1966-89)
and for campaigns in Angola (1975-76 and 1987-88). Motto of the Royal
Canadian Regiment and Royal South Australia Regiment

"watchful for the

pro patria Vigalans Motto of the United States Army Signal Corps.
country"

pro rata "for the rate" i.e., proportionately.

pro rege et lege "for king and the law" Found on the Leeds coat of arms

Medical shorthand for "as the occasion arises" or "as needed". Also "concerning
"for a thing that has a matter having come into being" Used to describe a meeting of a special
pro re nata (prn)
been born" Presbytery or Assembly called to discuss something new, and which was
previously unforeseen (literally: "concerning a matter having been born").

pro studio et labore "for study and work"

pro se "for oneself" to defend oneself in court without counsel ("pro per" -persona-in California)

Denotes something that has only been partially fulfilled. A philosophical term
pro tanto "for so much" indicating the acceptance of a theory or idea without fully accepting the
explanation

Equivalent to English phrase "for the time being". Denotes a temporary current
pro tempore "for the time"
situation.

probatio pennae "testing of the pen" A Medieval Latin term for breaking in a new pen.

procol harum "beyond these things" 1960's progressive group

propria manu (p.m.) "by one's own hand"

propter vitam "to destroy the reasons That is, to squander life's purpose just in order to stay alive, and live a
vivendi perdere for living for the sake of
causas life"
 meaningless life. From Juvenal, Satyricon VIII, verses 83–84.

"launch forward into the Motto of Memorial University of Newfoundland, as well as of the band 30
provehito in altum
deep" Seconds to Mars..

proxime accessit "he came next" The runner-up.

proximo mense Formerly used in formal correspondence to refer to the next month. Used with
"in the following month"
(prox.) ult. ("last month") and inst. ("this month").
pulvis et umbra "we are dust and
From Horace, Carmina book IV, 7, 16.
sumus shadow"
punctum saliens "leaping point" Thus, the essential or most notable point.

[edit] Q

Latin Translation Notes

"as far as the world

qua patet orbis Motto of the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps.
extends"

Motto of the University of Alberta. Also motto of Northwestern University as

quaecumque vera "whatever is true"
quaecumque sunt vera. Taken from Phillipians 4:8 of the Bible

quaecumque vera doce "Teach me whatsoever

Motto of St. Joseph's College, Edmonton at the University of Alberta.
me is true"

Or "you might ask..." Used to suggest doubt or to ask one to consider whether
quaere "seek"
something is correct. Often introduces rhetorical or tangential questions.

Also quaerite primo regnum dei. Motto of Newfoundland and Labrador. Motto
quaerite primum "seek ye first the
of Shelford Girls' Grammar, St Columb's College, and Philharmonic Academy
regnum Dei kingdom of God"
of Bologna.

"As what kind of artist

qualis artifex pereo Or "What an artist dies in me!" Attributed to Nero by Suetonius.
do I perish?"

Legal Latin: "as long

I.e., "[while on] good behavior." From which Frank Herbert extracted the name
quamdiu bene gesserit as he shall have
for the sisterhood in the Dune novels.
behaved well"

quando omni flunkus, "When all else fails,

Mock-Latin phrase said at the end of The Red Green Show.
mortati play dead"

quantum libet (q.l.) "as much as pleases" Medical shorthand for "as much as you wish".
 "as much as is
quantum sufficit (qs) Medical shorthand for "as much as needed" or "as much as will suffice".
enough"

Medical shorthand. Also quaque die (qd), "every day", quaque mane (qm),
quaque hora (qh) "every hour"
"every morning", and quaque nocte (qn), "every night".

An action of tresspass; thus called, by reason the writ demands the person
"wherefore he broke
quare clausum fregit summoned to answer to wherefore he broke the close (quare clausum fregit), i.e.
the close"
why he committed such a trespass.

quater in die (qid) "four times a day" Medical shorthand.

quem deus vult "Whom the gods

perdere, dementat would destroy, they
prius first make insane"

Other translations of diligunt include "prize especially" or "esteem". From

quem di diligunt "he whom the gods Plautus, Bacchides, IV, 7, 18. In this comic play, a sarcastic servant says this to
adulescens moritur love dies young" his aging master. The rest of the sentence reads: dum valet sentit sapit ("while he
is healthy, perceptive and wise").

From the Summoner's section of Chaucer's General Prologue to the Canterbury

questio quid iuris "I ask what law?"
Tales, line 648.

Common nonsensical Dog Latin misrendering of the Latin phrase cui bono
qui bono "who with good"
("who benefits?").

literally qui instead of Unused in English, but common in other modern languages (for instance Italian,
qui pro quo
quo (medieval Latin) Polish and French). Used as a noun, indicates a misunderstanding.

qui tacet consentire "he who is silent is Thus, silence gives consent. Sometimes accompanied by the proviso "ubi loqui
videtur taken to agree" debuit ac potuit", that is, "when he ought to have spoken and was able to".

Generally known as 'qui tam,' it is the technical legal term for the unique
qui tam pro domino "he who brings an
mechanism in the federal False Claims Act that allows persons and entities with
rege quam pro se ipso action for the king as
evidence of fraud against federal programs or contracts to sue the wrongdoer on
in hac parte sequitur well as for himself"
behalf of the Government.

"he who wants

qui totum vult totum
everything loses Attributed to Seneca.
perdit
everything"

"he who transplanted Or "he who brought us across still supports us", meaning God. State motto of
qui transtulit sustinet
still sustains" Connecticut. Originally written as sustinet qui transtulit in 1639.
 Attributed to Julius Caesar by Plutarch, Caesar 10. Translated loosely as
"because even the wife of Caesar may not be suspected". At the feast of Bona
Dea, a sacred festival for females only, which was being held at the Domus
"because he should Publica, the home of the Pontifex Maximus, Caesar, and hosted by his second
quia suam uxorem
wish even his wife to wife, Pompeia, the notorious rhetorian Clodius arrived in disguise. Caught by
etiam suspiciore vacare
be free from the outraged noblewomen, Clodius fled before they could kill him on the spot
vellet
suspicion" for sacrilege. In the ensuing trial, allegations arose that Pompeia and Clodius
were having an affair, and while Caesar asserted that this was not the case and
no substantial evidence arose suggesting otherwise, he nevertheless divorced,
with this quotation as explanation.

quid agis "What's going on?" What's happening? What's going on? What's the news? What's up?

In the Vulgate translation of John 18:38, Pilate's question to Jesus. A possible

quid est veritas "What is truth?"
answer is an anagram of the phrase: est vir qui adest, "it is the man who is here."

"What of the new out

quid novi ex Africa Less literally, "What's new from Africa?" Derived from an Aristotle quotation.
of Africa?"

Also translated "this for that" or "a thing for a thing". Signifies a favor
quid pro quo "what for what"
exchanged for a favor.

Commonly shortened to quidnunc. As a noun, a quidnunc is a busybody or a

quid nunc "What now?" gossip. Patrick Campbell worked for The Irish Times under the pseudonym
"Quidnunc".

Or "anything said in Latin sounds profound". A recent ironic Latin phrase to

quidquid Latine "whatever has been
poke fun at people who seem to use Latin phrases and quotations only to make
dictum sit altum said in Latin seems
themselves sound more important or "educated". Similar to the less common
videtur deep"
omnia dicta fortiora si dicta latina.

"don't move settled

Quieta non movere
things"

Commonly associated with Plato who in the Republic poses this question; and
from Juvenal's On Women, referring to the practice of having eunuchs guard
quis custodiet ipsos "Who will guard the
women and beginning with the word sed ("but"). Usually translated less literally,
custodes? guards themselves?"
as "Who watches the watchmen?" This translation is a common epigraph, such
as of the Tower Commission and Alan Moore's Watchmen comic book series.

quis leget haec? "Who will read this?"

Usually translated "Who is like unto God?" Questions who would have the
quis ut Deus "Who [is] as God?"
audacity to compare himself to a Supreme Being.

quo amplius eo "Something more Apocryphally credited to Borges, House on Nob Hill (unauthorized Morgenstern
amplius beyond plenty" translation, c. 1962)
quo errat "where the prover
A pun on ''quod erat demonstrandum''.
demonstrator errs"

"where the fates bear

quo fata ferunt Motto of Bermuda.
us to"

From Cicero's Ad Catilinam speech to the Roman Senate regarding the

"For how much
quo usque tandem conspiracy of Catiline: quo usque tandem abutere Catilina patientia nostra ("For
longer?"
how much longer, Catiline, will you abuse our patience?").

According to Vulgate translation of John 13:36, Saint Peter asked Jesus Domine,
"Where are you
quo vadis quo vadis ("Lord, where are you going?"). The King James Version has the
going?"
translation "Lord, whither goest thou?"

quod erat The abbreviation is often written at the bottom of a mathematical proof.
"which was to be
demonstrandum Sometimes translated loosely into English as "The Five Ws", W.W.W.W.W.,
demonstrated"
(Q.E.D.) which stands for "Which Was What We Wanted".

Or "which was to be constructed". Used in translations of Euclid's Elements

quod erat faciendum "which was to be
when there was nothing to prove, but there was something be constructed, for
(Q.E.F) done"
example a triangle with the same size as a given line.

quod est (q.e.) "which is"

"what is asserted
quod gratis asseritur, without reason may be If no grounds have been given for an assertion, there is no need to provide
gratis negatur denied without grounds for contradicting it.
reason"

"what is permitted to If an important person does something, it does not necessarily mean that
quod licet Iovi non licet
Jupiter is not everyone can do it (cf. double standard). Iovi (also commonly rendered Jovi) is
bovi
permitted to an ox" the dative form of Iuppiter ("Jupiter" or "Jove"), the chief god of the Romans.

Thought to have originated with Elizabethan playwright Christopher Marlowe.

Generally interpreted to mean that that which motivates or drives a person can
quod me nutrit me "what nourishes me
consume him or her from within. This phrase has become a popular slogan or
destruit destroys me"
motto for pro-ana websites, anorexics and bulimics. In this case the phrase is
literally describing food.

quod natura non dat "what nature does not

Refers to the Spanish University of Salamanca, meaning that education cannot
Salmantica non give, Salamanca does
substitute the lack of brains.
praestat not provide"

"What I have written I

Quod scripsi, scripsi. Pilate to the chief priests (John 19:22).
have written."
 Used after a term or phrase that should be looked up elsewhere in the current
quod vide (q.v.) "which see" document or book. For more than one term or phrase, the plural is quae vide
(qq.v.).

quomodo vales "how are you?"

The number of members whose presence is required under the rules to make any
quorum "of whom"
given meeting constitutional.

"Those whom true

quos amor verus tenuit
love has held, it will Seneca.
tenebit
go on holding"

quot homines tot "how many people, so

Or "there are as many opinions as there are people".
sententiae many opinions"

[edit] R

Latin Translation Notes

radix malorum est "the root of evils is Or "greed is the root of all evil". Theme of the Pardoner's Tale from The
cupiditas desire" Canterbury Tales.

Rara avis "Rare bird" ("very rare An extraordinary or unusual thing. From Juvenal's Satires: rara avis in terris
(Rarissima avis) bird") nigroque simillima cygno ("a rare bird in the lands, and very like a black swan").

"reasoning for the The legal, moral, political, and social principles used by a court to compose a
ratio decidendi
decision" judgment's rationale.

ratio legis "reasoning of law" A law's foundation or basis.

"by account of the Or "according to the soil". Assigning property rights to a thing based on its
ratione soli
ground" presence on a landowner's property.

More literally, "by the thing". From the ablative of res ("thing" or "circumstance").
Often used in e-mail replies. It is a common misconception that the "Re:" in
re "[in] the matter of"
correspondence is an abbreviation for regarding or reply; this is not the case. The
use of Latin re, in the sense of "about, concerning", is English usage.

"with matters standing The doctrine that treaty obligations hold only as long as the fundamental
rebus sic stantibus
thus" conditions and expectations that existed at the time of their creation hold.

recte et fideliter "Upright and Faithful" Also "just and faithful" and "accurately and faithfully". Motto of Ruyton Girls'
 School

A common debate technique, and a method of proof in mathematics and

philosophy, that proves the thesis by showing that its opposite is absurd or
reductio ad "leading back to the logically untenable. In general usage outside mathematics and philosophy, a
absurdum absurd" reductio ad absurdum is a tactic in which the logic of an argument is challenged
by reducing the concept to its most absurd extreme. Translated from Aristotle's "ἡ
εις άτοπον απαγωγη" (hi eis atopon apagogi, "reduction to the impossible").

An argument that creates an infinite series of causes that does not seem to have a
beginning. As a fallacy, it rests upon Aristotle's notion that all things must have a
reductio ad "leading back to the
cause, but that all series of causes must have a sufficient cause, that is, an unmoved
infinitum infinite"
mover. An argument which does not seem to have such a beginning becomes
difficult to imagine.

State motto of Arkansas, adopted in 1907. Originally rendered in 1864 in the

regnat populus "the people rule" plural, regnant populi ("the peoples rule"), but subsequently changed to the
singular.

Regnum Mariae
"Kingdom of Mary, the
Patrona Former motto of Hungary.
Patron of Hungary"
Hungariae

That which is sent back - a question sent for report or reconsideration by a court to
remit
a lower court or to a committee.

repetitio est mater "repetition is the mother

studiorum of study"

Or "may he rest in peace". A benediction for the dead. Often inscribed on

requiescat in pace
"let him rest in peace" tombstones or other grave markers. "RIP" is commonly mistranslated as "Rest In
(R.I.P.)
Peace", though the two mean essentially the same thing.

rerum cognoscere "to learn the causes of Motto of the University of Sheffield, the University of Guelph, and London School
causas things" of Economics.

A phrase used in law representing the belief that certain statements are made
naturally, spontaneously and without deliberation during the course of an event,
res gestae "things done" they leave little room for misunderstanding/misinterpretation upon hearing by
someone else ( i.e. by the witness who will later repeat the statement to the court)
and thus the courts believe that such statements carry a high degree of credibility.

A phrase from the common law of torts meaning that negligence can be inferred
from the fact that such an accident happened, without proof of exactly how. A
"the thing speaks for
res ipsa loquitur mock Latin clause sometimes added on to the end of this phrase is sed quid in
itself"
infernos dicit ("but what the hell does it say?"), which serves as a reminder that
one must still interpret the significance of events that "speak for themselves".
 A matter which has been decided by a court. Often refers to the legal concept that
res judicata "judged thing" once a matter has been finally decided by the courts, it cannot be litigated again
(cf. non bis in idem and double jeopardy).

respice adspice "look behind, look here,

i.e., "examine the past, the present and future". Motto of CCNY.
prospice look ahead"

i.e., "have regard for the end" or "consider the end". Generally a memento mori, a
respice finem "look back at the end"
warning to remember one's death.

Regarded as a legal maxim in agency law, referring to the legal liability of the
principal with respect to an employee. Whereas a hired independent contract acting
respondeat
"let the superior respond" tortiously may not cause the principal to be legally liable, a hired employee acting
superior
tortiously will cause the principal (the employer) to be legally liable, even if the
employer did nothing wrong.

Goods without an owner. Used for things or beings which belong to nobody and
res nullius "nobody's property" are up for grabs, e.g., uninhabited and uncolonized lands, wandering wild animals,
etc. (cf. terra nullius, "no man's land").

rex regum fidelum "king even of faithful Latin motto that appears on the crest of the Trinity Broadcasting Network of Paul
et kings" and Jan Crouch.

The rigidity of corpses when chemical reactions cause the limbs to stiffen about 3–
rigor mortis "stiffness of death" 4 hours after death. Other signs of death include drop in body temperature (algor
mortis, "cold of death") and discoloration (livor mortis, "bluish color of death").

risum teneatis, "Can you help laughing, An ironic or rueful commentary, appended following a fanciful or unbelievable
amici? friends?" tale.

Roma invicta "Unconquerable Rome Inspirational motto inscribed on the Statue of Rome.

An intentionally garbled Latin phrase from Monty Python's Life of Brian. Its
intended meaning is "Romans, go home!", but is actually closer to "'People called
Romanes they go the house'", according to a centurion in the movie. When Brian is
caught vandalizing the palace walls with this phrase, rather than punish him, the
Romanes eunt
"Romanes go the house" centurion corrects his Latin grammar, explaining that Romanus is a second
domus
declension noun and has its plural in -i rather than -es; that ire or eo ("to go") must
be in the imperative mood to denote a command; and that domus takes the
accusative case without a preposition as the object. The final result of this lesson is
the correct Latin phrase Romani ite domum.

rosa rubicundior
"redder than the rose,
lilio candidior
whiter than the lilies,
omnibus From the Carmina Burana's song "Si puer cum puellula".
fairer than all things, I do
formosior semper
ever glory in thee"
in te glorior
 "A countryside in the Generally used to refer to a haven of peace and quiet within an urban setting, often
rus in urbe
city" a garden, but can refer to interior decoration.

[edit] S

Latin Translation Notes

saltus in
"leap in explaining" Is an uncommon expression in medieval mathematical texts.
demonstrando

"the welfare of the
salus populi suprema
people is to be the
lex esto
highest law"
From Cicero's De Legibus, book III, part III, sub. VIII. Quoted by John Locke in
his Second Treatise, On Civil Government, to describe the proper organization of
government. Also the state motto of Missouri and of Harrow.

Refers to two expressions that can be interchanged without changing the truth-
salva veritate "with truth intact"
value of the statements in which they occur.

Christian epithet, usually referring to Jesus. The title of paintings by Albrecht

Salvator Mundi "Savior of the World"
Dürer and Leonardo da Vinci.

salvo errore et "save for error and

Appears on statements of "account currents".
omissione (s.e.e.o.) omission"

salvo honoris titulo

"save for title of honor"
(SHT)

Sancta Sedes "Holy Chair" More literally, "Sacred Seat". Refers to the Papacy or the Holy See.

Sancta Simplicitas "Holy Innocence" Or "Sacred Simplicity".

"With holiness and with Motto of King's College London. Also "Sancte Sapienter" ("holiness, wisdom"),
Sancte Et Sapienter
wisdom" motto of Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney and Lauriston Girls' School.

referring to a more sacred and/or guarded place, within a lesser guarded, yet also
Sanctum Sanctorum "Holy of Holies"
holy location.

From Horace's Epistularum liber primus, Epistle II, line 40. Popularized by its
use in Kant's What is Enlightenment? to define the Enlightenment. Frequently
used in mottos, such as for the University of Otago, University of New
sapere aude "dare to be wise" Brunswick, Phystech, Manchester Grammar School, town of Oldham, and the
University of New Zealand before its dissolution. Crompton House School
motto, part of the emblem of the school which is worn by all pupils on their
uniform during school. Also the name of an Australian Heavy Metal band.
 "Wisdom and
Sapientia et Doctrina Motto of Fordham University, New York.
Learning"

Sapienta et "Knowledge and

Eloquencia Eloquence"

From Plautus. Indicates that something can be understood without any need for
explanation, as long as the listener has enough wisdom or common sense. Often
sapienti sat "enough for the wise"
extended to dictum sapienti sat est ("enough has been said for the wise",
commonly translated as "a word to the wise is enough").

"Religion and
scientia cum religione Motto of St Vincent's College, Potts Point.
knowledge united"

"Knowledge is the
Scientia imperii decus adornment and
Motto of Imperial College, London.
et tutamen safeguard of the
Empire"

scientia vincere "Conquering darkness Motto of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and the Université Libre de Bruxelles,
tenebras by science" two universities located in Brussels, Belgium.

"For also knowledge Stated originally by Sir Francis Bacon in Meditationes Sacrae (1597), which in
scientia potentia est
itself is power" modern times is often paraphrased as "knowledge is power."

scio "I know"

"knowledge which is
scire quod sciendum The motto of now defunct publisher Small, Maynard & Company
worth having"

"by the shield of God's

scuto amoris divini The motto of Skidmore College
love"

seculo seculorum "Forever and Ever" in seculo seculorum, amen. End of Pater Noster

Sed ipse Spiritus "But the same Spirit

postulat pro nobis, intercedes incessantly
Romans 8:26
gemitibus for us, with
inenarrabilibus inexpressible groans"

sedes apostolica "apostolic chair" Synonymous with Sancta Sedes.

sedes incertae seat (i.e. location) Used in biological classification to indicate that there is no agreement as to
which higher order grouping a taxon should be placed into. Abbreviated sed.
 uncertain incert.

"with the seat being The "seat" is the Holy See, and the vacancy refers to the interregnum between
sede vacante
vacant" two popes.

"always towards better

Semper ad meliora Motto of Ravenswood School for Girls and Etobicoke Collegiate Institute.
things"

semper eadem "always the same" personal motto of Elizabeth I, appears above her royal coat of arms.

semper excelsius "always higher" Motto of the K.A.V. Lovania Leuven.

Motto of Exeter and several other cities; more recently has become the motto of
United States Marine Corps and the Swiss Grenadiers. Also the motto of the Rot-
semper fidelis "always faithful"
Weiss Oberhausen and Plymouth Argyle football clubs. The US Marines often
abbreviate it to Semper Fi.

semper fortis "always courageous" Motto of the United States Navys' Submarine Service.

semper instans "always threatening" Motto of 846 NACS Royal Navy.

semper liber "always free" Motto of the city of Victoria, British Columbia.

Motto of the United States Coast Guard, the United States Cavalry's 12th
semper paratus "always prepared" Regiment, The Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment, and the Royal Hamilton Light
Infantry (Wentworth Regiment)

Motto of Charlie Company [[VTCC] and One Squadron Royal Australian Corps
semper primus "always first"
of Transport]

A phrase deriving from the Nadere Reformatie movement in the seventeenth

century Dutch Reformed Church and widely but informally used in Reformed
and Presbyterian churches today. It refers to the conviction of certain Reformed
"always being
semper reformanda Protestant theologians that the church must continually re-examine itself in order
reformed"
to maintain its purity of doctrine and practice. The term first appeared in print in
Jodocus van Lodenstein, Beschouwinge van Zion ("Contemplation of Zion"),
Amsterdam, 1674.[1]

"always where under A common English-New Latin translation joke. The phrase is nonsensical in
semper ubi sub ubi
where" Latin, but the English translation is a pun on "always wear underwear".

semper vigilans "always vigilant" Motto of the Civil Air Patrol (United States Air Force Auxiliary).
semper vigilo "always vigilant" The motto of Scottish Police Forces, Scotland.

The official name of the Roman Republic. "SPQR" was carried on battle
Senatus Populusque "The Senate and the
standards by the Roman legions. In addition to being an ancient Roman motto, it
Romanus (SPQR) People of Rome"
remains the motto of the modern city of Rome.

sensu stricto cf. stricto "with the tight

Less literally, "in the strict sense".
sensu meaning"

The answer of St. Michael the Archangel to the Non serviam, "I will not serve"
Serviam "I will serve" of Satan, when the angels were tested by God on whether they will serve an
inferior being, a man, Jesus, as their Lord.

Servo Permaneo "Save the Last Bullet Meaning "After giving it everything you've got against the enemy, save the last
Bovis Provestri for Yourself" effort to save yourself".

"servant of the servants

servus servorum Dei A title for the pope.
of God"

From Horace's Ars Poetica, "proicit ampullas et sesquipedalia verba" ("he

"words a foot and a half
sesquipedalia verba throws down his high-flown language and his foot-and-a-half-long words"). A
long"
self-referential jab at long words and needlessly elaborate language in general.

Si hoc legere scis "If you can read this,

nimium eruditionis you have too much
habes education."

si omnes... ego non "if all ones... not I"

"if we refuse to make a

si peccasse negamus From Christopher Marlowe's The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus, where the
mistake, we are
fallimur et nulla est phrase is translated "if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and
deceived, and there's no
in nobis veritas there's no truth in us".
truth in us"

si quaeris peninsulam State motto of Michigan, adopted in 1835. Said to have been based on the tribute
"if you seek a delightful
amoenam to architect Christopher Wren in St Paul's Cathedral, London, which reads si
peninsula, look around"
circumspice monumentum requiris circumspice ("if you seek a memorial, look around").

This quote is often attributed to the Latin philosopher Boethius of the late fifth
"If you had kept your and early sixth centuries. It translates literally as, "If you had been silent, you
Si tacuisses,
silence, you would would have remained a philosopher." The phrase illustrates a common use of the
philosophus
have stayed a subjunctive verb mood. Among other functions it expresses actions contrary to
mansisses
philosopher" fact. Sir Humphrey Appleby translated it to the PM as: "If you'd kept your mouth
shut we might have thought you were clever".

si vales valeo (SVV) "if you are well, I am A common beginning for ancient Roman letters. Also extended to si vales bene
 est ego valeo ("if you are well, that is good; I am well"), abbreviated to
well" SVBEEV. The practice fell out of fashion and into obscurity with the decline in
Latin literacy.

From Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus, Epitoma rei militaris. Origin of the
si vis pacem para "if you want peace,
name parabellum for some ammunition and firearms, such as the Luger
bellum prepare for war"
parabellum. (See also in this list Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum)

Or "just so". States that the preceding quoted material appears exactly that way
in the source, despite any errors of spelling, grammar, usage, or fact that may be
sic "thus"
present. Used only for previous quoted text; ita or similar must be used to mean
"thus" when referring to something about to be stated.

sic et non "thus and not" More simply, "yes and no".

"we gladly feast on

sic gorgiamus allos
those who would Mock-Latin motto of The Addams Family.
subjectatos nunc
subdue us"

sic infit "so it begins"

"thus you shall go to From Virgil, Aeneid book IX, line 641. Possibly the source of the ad astra
sic itur ad astra
the stars" phrases. Motto of Lord Williams's School.

sic passim "Thus here and there" Used when referencing books; see passim.

"Thus has it always

sic semper erat, et sic
been, and thus shall it
semper erit
ever be"

State motto of Virginia, adopted in 1776. Attributed to Brutus at the time of

Julius Caesar's assassination, and to John Wilkes Booth at the time of Abraham
sic semper tyrannis "thus always to tyrants"
Lincoln's assassination; whether it was actually said at either of these events is
disputed.

A reminder that all things are fleeting. During Papal Coronations, a monk
reminds the pope of his mortality by saying this phrase, preceded by pater sancte
sic transit gloria "thus passes the glory
("holy father") while holding before his eyes a burning paper illustrating the
mundi of the world"
passing nature of earthly glories. This is similar to the tradition of a slave in
Roman triumphs whispering "memento mori".

"use [what is] yours so Or "use your property in such a way that you do not damage others'". A legal
sic utere tuo ut
as not to harm [what is] maxim related to property ownership laws, often shortened to simply sic utere
alienum non laedas
of others" ("use it thus").

sic vita est "thus is life" Or "such is life". Indicates that a circumstance, whether good or bad, is an
 inherent aspect of living.

signetur (sig) or (S/) "let it be labeled" Medical shorthand.

Motto of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, founded by St.
Signum Fidei "Sign of the Faith"
John Baptist de la Salle.

Latinization of the English expression "silence is golden". Also Latinized as

silentium est aureum "silence is golden"
silentium est aurum ("silence is gold").

similia similibus "similar things take

Or "like cures like". Said by Samuel Hahnemann, founder of homeopathy.
curantur care of similar things"

"simplicity is the sign

simplex sigillum veri A more refined statement of Keep It Simple, Stupid
of truth"

Used in bibliographies to indicate that the date of publication of a document is

sine anno (s.a.) "without a year"
unknown.

Originally from old common law texts, where it indicates that a final, dispositive
sine die "without a day" order has been made in the case. In modern legal context, it means there is
nothing left for the court to do, so no date for further proceedings is set.

"without anger and

sine ira et studio Thus, impartially. From Tacitus, Annals 1.1.
fondness"

Used in bibliographies to indicate that the place of publication of a document is

sine loco (s.l.) "without a place"
unknown.

sine nomine (s.n.) "without a name" Used in bibliographies to indicate that the publisher of a document is unknown.

Used to denote something that is an essential part of the whole. See also condicio
sine qua non "without which not"
sine qua non.

sine remediis "without drugs Inscription on the stained-glass in the conference hall of pharmaceutical mill in
medicina debilis est medicine is powerless" Kaunas

sine scientia ars nihil "without knowledge,

est skill is nothing"

sisto activitatem "I cease the activity" Phrase, used to cease the activities of Sejm upon the liberum veto principle
 "let honour stainless
sit sine labe decus Motto of the Brisbane Boys' College (Brisbane, Australia).
be"

"may the earth be light Commonly used on gravestones, oftenly contracted as S.T.T.L., the same way as
sit tibi terra levis
to you" today's R.I.P.

"may there be
sit venia verbo forgiveness for the Similar to the English idiom "pardon my French".
word"

Sol Iustitiae Illustra "Sun of Justice, shine

Motto of Utrecht University
Nos upon us"

"the sun shines on

sol lucet omnibus everyone", Petronius,
Satyricon Lybri 100

"the sun rules over

sol omnia regit Inscription near the entrance to Frombork Museum
everything"

The material principle of the Protestant Reformation and one of the five solas,
sola fide "by faith alone" referring to the Protestant claim that the Bible teaches that men are saved by faith
even without works.

A motto of the Protestant Reformation and one of the five solas, referring to the
sola gratia "by grace alone" Protestant claim that salvation is an unearned gift (cf. ex gratia), not a direct
result of merit.

"the only good

Sola lingua bona est
language is a dead Example of dog Latin humor.
lingua mortua
language"

The formal principle of the Protestant Reformation and one of the five solas,
sola scriptura "by scripture alone" referring to the Protestant idea that the Bible alone is the ultimate authority, not
the pope or tradition.

Waverley college high school motto, referring to the idea that it is not title nor
Sola nobilitat virtus "Virtue alone ennobles"
wealth that makes one noble but their virtue.

A motto of the Protestant Reformation and one of the five solas, referring to the
soli Deo gloria idea that God is the creator of all good things and deserves all the praise for
"glory to God alone"
(S.D.G.) them. Johann Sebastian Bach often signed his manuscripts with the abbreviation
S.D.G. to invoke this phrase, as well as with AMDG (ad maiorem Dei gloriam).

solus Christus "Christ alone" A motto of the Protestant Reformation and one of the five solas, referring to the
Protestant claim that the Bible teaches that Jesus is the only mediator between
 God and mankind. Also rendered solo Christo ("by Christ alone").

solus ipse "I alone"

specialia generalibus "special departs from

derogant general"

speculum speculorum "mirror of mirrors"

spem reduxit "he has restored hope" Motto of New Brunswick.

From The Second Coming (poem) by William Butler Yeats. Refers to Yeats'
belief that each human mind is linked to a single vast intelligence, and that this
spiritus mundi "spirit of the world"
intelligence causes certain universal symbols to appear in individual minds. The
idea is similar to Carl Jung's concept of the collective unconscious.

From El espiritu donde quiera se infunde by Fernando Porturas

(http://www.cayetano-pae.org/Spiritus.htm). Refers to The Gospel of Saint John,
spiritus ubi vult "the spirit spreads where he mentions how Jesus told Nicodemus "The wind blows wherever it
spirat wherever it wants" wants, and even though you can hear its noise, you don't know where it comes
from or where it goes. The same thing happens to whomever has been born of
the Spirit". It is the motto of Cayetano Heredia University.

"brightness without Loosely "splendour without diminishment" or "magnificence without ruin".

splendor sine occasu
setting" Motto of British Columbia.

The motto of the Jungle Patrol in The Phantom. The phrase actually violates
"we stand against by Latin grammar because of a mistranslation from English, as the preposition
stamus contra malo
evil" contra takes the accusative case. The correct Latin rendering of "we stand
against evil" would be "stamus contra malum".

stante pede "with a standing foot" "Immediately".

"to stand by the decided

stare decisis To uphold previous rulings, recognize precedent.
things"

"There is a day [turn]

Stat sua cuique dies Virgil, Aeneid, X 467
for everybody"

statim (stat) "immediately" Medical shorthand used following an urgent request.

status quo "the situation in which" The current condition or situation. Also status quo ante ("the situation in which
[things were] before"), referring to the state of affairs prior to some upsetting
 event (cf. reset button technique).

status quo ante "the state before the

A common term in peace treaties.
bellum war"

stercus accidit "shit happens" Attributed to David Hume.

Marginal mark in proofreading to indicate that something previously deleted or

stet "let it stand"
marked for deletion should be retained.

"let the fortune of the

stet fortuna domus First part of the motto of Harrow School,England.
house stand"

From Christopher Marlowe's The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus. (See Rom
stipendium peccati "the reward of sin is
6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in
mors est death"
Christ Jesus our Lord.")

"the heights yield to

strenuis ardus cedunt Motto on the coat of arms of the University of Southampton, England.
endeavour"

stricto sensu cf. sensu "with the tight

Less literally, "in the strict sense".
stricto meaning"

The title by which Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, was known. More
"the wonder of the
stupor mundi literally translated "the bewilderment of the world", or, in its original, pre-
world"
Medieval sense, "the stupidity of the world".

Motto of the U.S. Army Rangers. Also a legal term when a court takes up a
sua sponte "by its own accord" motion on its own initiative, not because any of the parties to the case has made
the motion.

"The Light Under the Motto of the University of Adelaide, Australia. Refers to the figurative "light of
Sub Cruce Lumen
Cross" learning" and the Southern Cross constellation, Crux.

"under the wide open Also, "under the sky", "in the open air", "out in the open" or "outdoors". Divus,
sub divo
sky" divi, means god or sky.

Used in citations to refer to the end of a book, page, etc., and abbreviated 's.f.'
sub finem "toward the end"
Used after the page number or title. E.g., 'p. 20 s.f. '

Said of a case that cannot be publicly discussed until it is finished. Also sub
sub judice "under a judge"
iudice.
 Commonly rendered subpoena. Said of a request, usually by a court, that must be
complied with on pain of punishment. Examples include subpoena duces tecum
sub poena "under penalty" ("take with you under penalty"), a court summons to appear and produce tangible
evidence, and subpoena ad testificandum ("under penalty to testify"), a summons
to appear and give oral testimony.

"In secret", "privately", "confidentially" or "covertly". In the Middle Ages, a rose

was suspended from the ceiling of a council chamber to indicate that what was
said in the "under the rose" was not to be repeated outside. This practice
sub rosa "under the rose" originates in Greek mythology, where Aphrodite gave a rose to her son Eros, and
he, in turn, gave it to Harpocrates, the god of silence, to ensure that his mother's
indiscretions—or those of the gods in general, in other accounts—were kept
under wraps.

"under the sight of

sub specie aeternitatis Thus, "from eternity's point of view". From Spinoza, Ethics.
eternity"

"Beneath thy Name of the oldest extant hymn to the Theotokos (Blessed Virgin Mary). Also
Sub tuum praesidium
compassion" "under your protection". A popular school motto.

sub verbo; sub voce Under the word or heading, as in a dictionary; abbreviated s.v.

"Raised from the

sublimis ab unda Motto of King Edward VII and Queen Mary School, Lytham
waves"

subsiste sermonem "stop speaking

statim immediately"

Sui generis "Of its own kind" In a class of its own.

Capable of responsibility. Has both legal and ecclesiastical use. Commonly

sui iuris "Of one's own right"
rendered sui juris.

A gravestone inscription to remind the reader of the inevitability of death (cf.

sum quod eris "I am what you will be" memento mori). Also rendered fui quod sis ("I have been what you are") and tu
fui ego eris ("I have been you, you will be I").

summa cum laude "with highest praise"

Literally "sum of sums". When a short conclusion is rounded up at the end of

summa summarum "all in all"
some elaboration.

summum bonum "the supreme good" Literally "highest good". Also summum malum ("the supreme evil").
 From Virgil, Aeneid. Followed by et mentem mortalia tangunt ("and mortal
"there are tears for
sunt lacrimae rerum things touch my mind"). Aeneas cries as he sees Carthaginian temple murals
things"
depicting the deaths of the Trojan War. See also hinc illae lacrimae.

sunt omnes unum "they are all one"

"Children are children

sunt pueri pueri
and children do childish
pueri puerella tracant
things"

Used in the context of titles of nobility, for instance where a wife may hold a title
suo jure "in one's own right"
in her own right rather than through her marriage.

Also rendered suo moto. Usually used when a court of law, upon its own
"upon one's own
suo motu initiative, (i.e., no petition has been filed) proceeds against a person or authority
initiative"
that it deems has committed an illegal act. It is used chiefly in South Asia.

Where Thomas More accused the reformer, Martin Luther, of going to celebrate
super fornicam "on the lavatory"
Mass.

supero omnia "I surpass everything" A declaration that one succeeds above all others.

"to belch before the From Gerhard Gerhards' (1466-1536) [better known as Erasmus] collection of
surdo oppedere
deaf" annotated Adagia (1508). A useless action.

surgam "I shall rise" Motto of Columbia University's Philolexian Society.

"to render to every man One of Justinian I's three basic precepts of law. Also shortened to suum cuique
suum cuique tribuere
his due" ("to each his own").

s.v. Abbreviation for sub voce or Sub verbo (see above).

[edit] T

Latin Translation Notes

Thus, "blank slate". Romans used to write on wax-covered wooden tablets, which
tabula rasa "scraped tablet" were erased by scraping with the flat end of the stylus. John Locke used the term to
describe the human mind at birth, before it had acquired any knowledge.
tabula
"congratulatory tablet" A list of congratulations.
gratulatoria

talis qualis "just as such" "Such as it is" or "as such".

taliter qualiter "somewhat"

technica "Technology impulses

Motto of Polytechnical University of Madrid
impendi nationi nations"

Recently used by a character, The Oracle, in the Wachowski Brothers' 1999 film
temet nosce "know thyself"
The Matrix.

Tempora Literally "Heroic Times". Refers to the period of time between the mythological
"Heroic Age"
Heroica Titanomachy and the (relatively) historical Trojan War.

tempora
"the times are changing,
mutantur et nos From Lothair I.
and we change in them"
mutamur in illis

tempus edax "time, devourer of all Also "time, that devours all things", or more literally, "time, devouring of things".
rerum things" From Ovid.

Commonly mistranslated as "time flies" due to the similar phrase tempus volat hora
tempus fugit "time flees"
fugit.

tempus rerum "time, commander of all

imperator things"

tempus vernum "spring time" Name of song by popular Irish singer Enya

tempus volat
"time flies, the hour flees" Or "time speeds while the hour escapes".
hora fugit

Suetonius attributes this to Julius Caesar, from when Caesar was on the African
teneo te Africa "I hold you, Africa!"
coast.

ter in die (tid) "thrice in a day" Medical shorthand for "three times a day".

terminus ante "limit before which" In archaeology or history, refers to the date before which an artifact or feature must
quem have been deposited. Used with terminus post quem ("limit after which"). Similarly,
terminus ad quem ("limit to which") may also refer to the latest possible date of a
non-punctual event (period, era, etc.), while terminus a quo ("limit from which")
 may refer to the earliest such date.

terra australis
"unknown southern land" First name used to refer to the Australian continent.
incognita

terra firma "solid land" Often used to refer to the ground.

terra incognita "unknown land"

Also Latin name of Newfoundland (island portion of Canadian province of

terra nova "new land" Newfoundland and Labrador, capital- St. John's), also root of French name of same,
Terre-Neuve

That is, no man's land. A neutral or uninhabited area, or a land not under the
terra nullius "land of none"
sovereignty of any recognized political entity.

Or "let them give light to the world". An allusion to Isaiah 6.3: plena est omnis terra
gloria eius ("the whole earth is full of his glory"). Sometimes mistranslated as "they
"let them illuminate the will illuminate the lands" based on mistaking irradiare for a future indicative third-
terras irradient
lands" conjugation verb, whereas it is actually a present subjunctive first-conjugation verb.
Motto of Amherst College; the college's original mission was to educate young men
to serve God.

tertium non
"a third is not given" A logical axiom that a claim is either true or false, with no third option.
datur

1. Something that cannot be classified into either of two groups considered

tertium quid "a third something" exhaustive; an intermediate thing or factor. 2. A third person or thing of
indeterminate character.

testis unus, testis "one witness is not a

A law principle expressing that a single witness is not enough to corroborate a story.
nullus witness"

Danaos being a term for the Greeks. In Virgil's Aeneid, II, 49, the phrase is said by
Laocoön when warning his fellow Trojans against accepting the Trojan Horse. The
timeo Danaos et "I fear Greeks, even
full original quote is quidquid id est timeo Danaos et dona ferentis, quidquid id est
dona ferentes bearing gifts"
meaning "whatever it is" and ferentis being an archaic form of ferentes. Commonly
mistranslated "Beware of Greeks bearing gifts".

timidi mater "A coward's mother does A Latin proverb. Occasionally appears on loading screens in the game Rome: Total
non flet not weep" War.

A Latin refrain originating in the response to the seventh lesson in the Office of the
timor mortis "the fear of death
Dead. In the Middle Ages, this service was read each day by clerics. As a refrain, it
conturbat me confounds me"
appears also in other poems and can frequently be found inscribed on tombs.
 This Latin phrase represents the desire to offer ones life in total commitment to
Totus Tuus "totally yours" another. The motto was adopted by Pope John Paul 2 to signify his love and
servitude to Mary the Mother of Jesus.

translatio Used to express the belief in the transfer of imperial authority from the Roman
"transfer of rule"
imperii Empire of antiquity to the Medieval Holy Roman Empire.

A decree by the medieval Church that all feuds should be cancelled during the
Treuga Dei "Truce of God" Sabbath—effectively from Wednesday or Thursday night until Monday. See also
Peace and Truce of God.

Also "even you" or "yes, you", in response to a person's belief that he will never die.
tu autem "you indeed"
A memento mori epitaph.

tu autem
"But Thou, O Lord, have
domine miserere Phrase said at the end of biblical readings in the liturgy of the medieval church.
mercy upon us"
nobis

"I was you; you will be Thus, "what you are, I was; what I am, you will be.". A memento mori gravestone
tu fui ego eris
me" inscription to remind the reader that death is unavoidable (cf. sum quod eris).

"you should not give in to

tu ne cede malis,
evils, but proceed ever
sed contra From Virgil, Aeneid, 6, 95.
more boldly against
audentior ito
them"

The logical fallacy of attempting to defend one's position merely by pointing out the
same weakness in one's opponent. If a politician is criticized for advocating an
inadequately-funded plan, and replies that his or her opponent's plan is equally
inadequately funded, this is a 'tu quoque' argument: undermining the
counterproposal on the same basis does not make the original plan any more
tu quoque "you too"
satisfactory. Tu quoque may also refer to a "hypocrisy" argument, a form of ad
hominem where a claim is dismissed as untrue on the basis that the claimant has
contradicted his own advice. While contradiction may make the claimant's argument
unsound, it does necessarily not make his claims untrue. It comes from the supposed
last words of Julius Caesar

tuebor "I will protect" Found on the Great Seal on the flag of the state of Michigan.

[edit] U

Latin Translation Notes

"most abundant Or "utmost good faith" (cf. bona fide). A legal maxim of insurance contracts requiring all
uberrima fides
faith" parties to deal in good faith.
ubertas et "fertility and
Motto of Tasmania.
fidelitas faithfulness"

"where [it is] well,

ubi bene ibi
there [is] the Or "Home is where it's good". Patriotic motto.
patria
fatherland"

ubi caritas et "where there is

amor Deus ibi charity and love,
est God is there"

"Where [there is] a

ubi jus ibi
right, there [is] a
remedium
remedy"

"where [there is]

ubi mel ibi apes honey, there [are]
bees"

"where [there is]

ubi dubium ibi
doubt, there [is] Anonymous proverb.
libertas
freedom"

"where [there is]

ubi libertas ibi
liberty, there [is] the Or "where there is liberty, there is my country". Patriotic motto.
patria
fatherland"

"Where you are

Ubi nihil vales, worth nothing, there From the writings of the Flemish philosopher Arnold Geulincx; also quoted by Samuel
ibi nihil velis you will wish for Beckett in his first published novel, Murphy.
nothing"

ubi non "where [there is] no

Thus, there can be no judgement or case if no one charges a defendant with a crime. The
accusator ibi accuser, there [is] no
phrase is sometimes parodied as "where there are no police, there is no speed limit".
non iudex judge"

ubi pus, ibi "where there is pus,

evacua there evacuate it"

"Everywhere, Where Motto of the Royal Regiment of Artillery and most other Artillery corps within the armies
Ubique, quo fas
Right And Glory of the British Commonwealth (for example, the Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery
et gloria ducunt
Leads" and Royal Regiment of New Zealand Artillery).

"when, in a true
ubi re vera Or "whereas, in reality..." Also rendered ubi revera ("when, in fact" or "when, actually").
thing"
ubi societas ibi "if there's a society,
Invented by Cicero.
ius law will be there"

ubi solitudinem
"They make a desert
faciunt pacem from a speech by Calgacus reported/constructed by Tacitus, Agricola, ch. 30.
and call it peace"
appellant

Nostalgic theme of poems yearning for days gone by. From the line ubi sunt qui ante nos
ubi sunt "where are they?"
fuerunt ("Where are they, those who have gone before us?").

ultima ratio "last method"

French cannon.

The last resort. Short form for the metaphor "The Last Resort of Kings and Common
Men" refering to the act of declaring war. Louis XIV of France had Ultima Ratio Regum
("last argument of kings") engraved on the cannons of his armies. From here it names the
French sniper rifle PGM Ultima Ratio Hecate II, the fictional Reason and is the motto of
the 1st Battalion 11th Marines (with the incorrect Regnum).

ultimo mense Formerly used in formal correspondence to refer to the previous month. Used with inst.
"in the last month"
(ult.) ("this month") and prox. ("next month").

"Without authority". Used to describe an action done without proper authority, or acting
ultra vires "beyond powers" without the rules. The term will most often be used in connection with appeals and
petitions.

From Gerhard Gerhards' (1466-1536) [better known as Erasmus] collection of annotated

"(to send) owls to
ululas Athenas Adagia (1508). Latin translation of a classical greek proverb. Generally means putting
Athens"
large effort in a necessarily fruitless entreprise.

una hirundo "One Swallow does A single example of something positive does not necessarily mean that all subsequent
non facit ver not make Summer" similar instances will have the same outcome.

una salus victis "the only safety for
nullam sperare the conquered is to
salutem hope for no safety"
Less literally, "the only safe bet for the vanquished is to expect no safety". Preceded by
moriamur et in media arma ruamus ("let us die even as we rush into the midst of battle")
in Virgil's Aeneid, book 2, lines 353–354. Used in Tom Clancy's novel Without Remorse,
where character Clark translates it as "the one hope of the doomed is not to hope for
safety".

uno flatu "in one breath" Used in criticism of inconsistent pleadings, ie. "one cannot argue uno flatu both that the
 company does not exist and that it is also responsible for the wrong."

unus multorum "one of many" An average person.

"To the City and the

Meaning "To Rome and the World". A standard opening of Roman proclamations. Also a
Urbi et Orbi Circle [of the
[2] traditional blessing by the pope.
lands]"

Urbs in Horto "City in a garden" Motto of the City of Chicago.

Usus est
"Practice is the best
magister In other words, practice makes perfect.
teacher."
optimus

Also rendered with quando ("when") in place of quoniam. From a story by Suetonius
(Vit. Tib., 2.2) and Cicero (De Natura Deorum, 2.3). The phrase was said by Roman
ut biberent "so that they might
admiral Publius Claudius Pulcher right before the battle of Drepana, as he threw
quoniam esse drink, since they
overboard the sacred chickens which had refused to eat the grain offered them—an
nollent refused to eat"
unwelcome omen of bad luck. Thus, the sense is, "if they do not perform as expected,
they must suffer the consequences".

ut incepit fidelis "as she began loyal,

Thus, the state remains as loyal as ever. Motto of Ontario.
sic permanet so she persists"

ut desint vires "though the power be

tamen est lacking, the will is to
From Ovid, Epistulae ex Ponto (III, 4, 79).
laudanda be praised all the
voluntas same"

ut infra "as below"

Motto of Twynham School, Christchurch, Dorset, England, King Henry VIII School,
ut prosim "That I may serve" Abergavenny in Wales, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia
Tech), Wenona School, Danebank School and Old Swinford Hospital

Ut proverbium "You know what

Lit: As the old proverb says...
loguitur vetus... they say..."

ut res magis "That the matter may

valeat quam have effect rather
pereat than fail"

ut retro "as backwards" Or "as on the back side"; thus, "as on the previous page" (cf. ut supra).
 "As Rome falls, so
Ut Roma cadit,
[falls] the whole
sic omnis terra.
world."

A traditional brocard. The full form is Interest reipublicae ut sit finis litium, "it is in the
ut sit finis "So there might be
government's interest that there be an end to litigation." Often quoted in the context of
litium an end of litigation"
statutes of limitation.

ut supra "as above"

"as the extension, so

ut tensio sic vis Robert Hooke's expression of his discovery of his law of linear elasticity.
the force"

utilis in "usefulness in
Comes from 2 Timothy 4:11. Motto of Camberwell Girls Grammar School.
ministerium service"

utraque unum "both into one" Also translated as "that the two may be one."[8] Motto of Georgetown University.

[edit] V

Latin Translation Notes

A Biblical phrase from the Book of Proverbs. The full quotation translates as
vade ad formicam "go to the ant"
"go to the ant, O sluggard, and consider her ways, and learn wisdom".

A vade-mecum or vademecum is an item one carries around, especially a

vade mecum "go with me"
handbook.

An exhortation for Satan to begone, often used in response to temptation. From

a popular Medieval Catholic exorcism formula, based on a rebuke by Jesus to
vade retro Satana "Go back, Satan!" Peter in the Vulgate, Mark 8:33: vade retro me Satana ("step back from me,
Satan!"). The older phrase vade retro ("go back!") can be found in Terence's
Formio I, 4, 203.

Attributed by Livy to Brennus, the chief of the Gauls, while he demanded more
vae victis "Woe to the conquered!"
gold from the citizens of the recently-sacked Rome in 390 BC.

vanitas vanitatum "vanity of vanities; More simply, "vanity, vanity, everything vanity". From the Vulgate,
omnia vanitas everything [is] vanity" Ecclesiastes, 1:2.

vaticinium ex A prophecy made to look as though it was written before the events it describes,
"prophecy from the event"
eventu while in fact being written afterwards.
 Summary of alternatives, ie. "this action turns upon whether the claimant was
vel non "or not"
the deceased's grandson vel non."

Or simply "faster than cooking asparagus". Ascribed to Augustus by Suetonius

velocius quam
"more rapidly than (The Lives of the Twelve Caesars, Book 2 (Augustus), para. 87). Can refer to
asparagi
asparagus will be cooked" anything done very quickly. A very common variant is celerius quam asparagi
coquantur
cocuntur ("more swiftly than asparagus is cooked").

The message sent by Julius Caesar to the Roman Senate to describe his battle
"I came, I saw, I
veni, vidi, vici against King Pharnaces II near Zela in 47 BC. Sometimes used by magicians as
conquered"
a catch phrase similar to abracadabra in completing a performance.

veni, vidi et "I came, I saw and I Said by Hannibal, according to Carthaginian history, right after crossing the
capiebar ad anum endured a rear assault" Alps where he was taken by suprise by the army of Fabius Maximus.

Venisti remanebis "From whence you came,

donec denuo you shall remain, until you
completus sis are complete again"

vera causa "true cause"

verba ita sunt "words are to be

intelligenda ut res understood such that the An interpretation which gives effect is preferred to one
magis valeat quam subject matter may be more
pereat effective than wasted" which makes void.

verba volant, "words fly away, writings

From a famous speech of Caio Titus at the Roman senate.
scripta manent remain"
verbatim "word for word" Refers to perfect transcription or quotation.
verbatim et "word for word and letter
litteratim by letter"
Verbi divini "servant of the divine
A priest (cf. Verbum Dei).
minister Word"
Verbum Dei "Word of God" See sacred text.
Verbum Domini
Manet in "The Word of the Lord
Motto of the Lutheran Reformation.
Aeternum Endures Forever"
(VDMA)
"A word to the wise is The hearer can fill in the rest; enough said. Short for Verbum sapienti sat[is]
Verbum sap
sufficient" est.
Current motto of Harvard University, Providence College, Drake University,
Knox College, and the University of Santo Tomas (oldest university in the
Philippines). Also the name of a British political party (Veritas). The original
veritas "truth"
motto of Harvard, dating to its foundation, was veritas Christo et Ecclesiae
("truth for Christ and Church"); it was shortened to remove the religious
implications.
Veritas, Fides,
"Truth, Faith, Wisdom" Current motto of Dowling Catholic High School.
Sapientia
Veritas Curat "The Truth Cures." Motto of Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research.
Veritate Duce "Advancing (with) Truth
Motto of University of Arkansas.
Progredi Leading."
Veritas in Caritate "Truth Through Caring" Motto of John Wordsworth's Father. Motto of Bishop Wordsworth's School.
"Truth is my light." (non-
veritas lux mea literal: "Truth enlightens Motto of Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
me.")
veritas odit moras "Truth hates delay" Seneca the Younger.
veritas omnia Motto of Wilfrid Laurier University, Ontario. See also national motto
"Truth defeats all things"
vincit Satyameva Jayate of India
veritas unitas
"Truth, Unity, Love" Motto of Villanova University.
caritas
veritas vos
"the truth will set you free" Motto of Johns Hopkins University.
liberabit
Motto of Sydney Boys High School. Also "virtute et veritate", motto of Walford
veritate et virtute "with truth and courage"
Anglican School for Girls.
veritatem "to bear witness to the truth
Motto of Xaverian Brothers High School.
fratribus testari in brotherhood"
vero nihil verius "nothing truer than truth" Motto of Mentone Girls' Grammar School]
Literally "in the direction". Mistakenly used in English as "against" (probably
versus (vs) or (v.) "towards" from "adversus"), particularly to denote two opposing parties, such as in a legal
dispute or a sports match.
The right to unilaterally stop a certain piece of legislation. Derived from ancient
veto "I forbid"
Roman voting practices.
Or "Strength with Courage". Motto of Ascham School and the McCulloch clan
vi et animo "With heart and soul"
crest.
From Christopher Marlowe's The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus. Note that
v was originally the consonantal u, and was written the same before the two
"by the power of truth, I, forms became distinct, and also after in many cases, when u and v were both
vi veri universum
while living, have capitalized as V: thus, Vniversum. Also, universum is sometimes quoted with the
vivus vici
conquered the universe" form ueniversum (or Veniversum), which is presumably a combination of
universum and oeniversum, two classically-attested spellings). Recently quoted
in the film, V For Vendetta, by the main character, V.
Thus, "by way of" or "by means of".
via "by the road"
I'll contact you via e-mail.
"The way, the truth and the
Via, Veritas, Vita Motto of The University of Glasgow
Life"
The Anglican Communion has claimed to be a via media between the errors of
via media "middle road" the Roman Catholic Church and the extremes of Protestantism. Can also refer to
the radical middle political stance.
Thus, "one who acts in place of another". Can be used as a separate word, or as a
vice "in place of"
hyphenated prefix: "Vice President" and "Vice-Chancellor" are examples.
Thus, "the other way around", "conversely", etc. Historically, vice is properly
pronounced as two syllables, but the one-syllable pronunciation is extremely
vice versa "with position turned"
common. Classical Latin pronunciation dictates that the letter C can only make a
hard sound, like K; thus Wee-keh Wehr-suh.
victoria aut mors "Victory or death!" See aut vincere aut mori.
victoria concordia "Victory comes from
The official club motto of Arsenal FC.
crescit harmony"
"the victorious cause
victrix causa diis
pleased the gods, but the Lucanus, Pharsalia 1, 128. Dedication on the south side of the Confederate
placuit sed victa
conquered cause pleased Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery.
Catoni
Cato"
vide infra (v.i.) "see below" The name of a Killswitch Engage song.
vide supra (v.s.) "see above" Or "see earlier in this writing". Also shortened to just supra.
vincit omnia
"Truth conquers all"
veritas
videlicet (viz.) See the corresponding article
video bona "I see and approve of the
proboque good things, but I follow Choosing to consciously follow the worse of two options.
deteriora sequor the inferior things"
video et taceo "I see and keep silent" The motto of Queen Elizabeth I of England.
video sed non "I see it, but I don't believe Caspar Hofmann after being shown proof of the circulatory system by William
credo it" Harvey.
vim promovet "promotes one's innate
Motto of University of Bristol taken from Horace Ode 4.4.
insitam power"
"it is permitted to see",
videre licet
"one may see"
"Overcome Evil with Partial quotation of Romans 12:21 also used as a motto for Old Swinford
vince malum bono
Good" Hospital and Bishop Cotton School, Shimla.
vincere scis "you know [how] to win, According to Livy, a cavalry colonel told Hannibal this after the victory at
Hannibal victoria Hannibal; you do not know Cannae in 216 BC, meaning that Hannibal should have marched on Rome
uti nescis [how] to use victory" directly.
Or "he who prevails over himself is victorious". Or "She conquers who conquers
herself" as used in mottos of Philadelphia High School for Girls, Firbank Girls'
"he conquers who conquers
vincit qui se vincit Grammar School, Malvern Girls' College, North Sydney Boys High School.
himself"
Also "bis vincit qui se vincit" ("he who prevails over himself is twice
victorious").
viriliter agite "Quite ye like men, be
As used in the motto of Culford School
estote fortes strong"
virtus sola
"virtue alone [is] noble" Christian Brothers College, St. Kilda's school motto
nobilitas
virtus unita fortior "virtue united [is] stronger" State motto of Andorra.
virtus in media "Virtue stands in the Idiomatically: Good practice lies in the middle path. There is disagreement as to
stat middle. " whether "media" or "medio" is correct.
Or "by manhood and weapons". State motto of Mississippi. Possibly derived
from the motto of Lord Gray De Wilton, virtute non armis fido ("I trust in virtue,
virtute et armis "by virtue and arms"
not in arms"). Also virtute et labore, as by manhood and by work motto of
Pretoria Boys High School
vis legis "power of the law"
visio dei "Vision of a god"
vita ante acta "a life done before" Thus, a previous life, generally due to reincarnation.
"[Mary our] life, sweetness,
vita, dulcedo, spes Motto of University of Notre Dame.
hope"
vita incerta, mors "Life is uncertain, death is
In simpler English, "The most certain thing in life is death".
certissima most certain"
vita summa brevis "the shortness of life
A wistful refrain, sometimes used ironically. From the first line of Horace's Ode
spem nos vetat prevents us from
I; later used as the title of a short poem by Ernest Dowson.
incohare longam entertaining far-off hopes"
viva voce "living voice" An oral, as opposed to a written, examination of a candidate.
vivat crescat "may it live, grow, and
floreat flourish!"
Usually translated "Long live the King!" Also Vivat Regina ("Long live the
Vivat Rex May the King live!"
Queen!").
Vive memor leti "I live remembering death" Persius. Compare with "Memento Mori"
Vivere est cogitare "To live is to think" Cicero. Compare with "cogito ergo sum".
"'Vivere est
"To live is to conquer" Captain John Smith's personal Motto.
vincere'"
Vivere militare est "To live is to fight" Seneca (Epist. 96,5). Compare with "militia est vita hominis" Book of Job 7:1
The phrase suggests that one should live life to the fullest and without fear of
Vive ut vivas "live so that you may live"
possible consequences.
vocatus atque non "called and not called, God Attributed to the Oracle at Delphi. Used by Carl Jung as a personal motto
vocatus Deus will be present", or "called adorning his home and grave.
 and even not called, God
aderit "[Whether] invoked or not, God is present."
approaches"
"to one willing, no harm is used in tort law to delineate the principle that one cannot be held liable for
volenti non fit
done" or "to him who injuries inflicted on an individual who has given his consent to the action that
injuria
consents, no harm is done gave rise to the injury.
votum separatum "separate vow" An independent, minority voice.
"the voice of one shouting From Isaiah 40, and quoted by John the Baptist in the Gospels. Usually the
in the desert" (or, "voice" is assumed to be shouting in vain, unheeded by the surrounding
vox clamantis in
traditionally, "the voice of wilderness. However, in this phrase's use as the motto of Dartmouth College, it
deserto
one crying in the is taken to denote an isolated beacon of education and culture in the
wilderness") "wilderness" of New Hampshire.
vox nihili "voice of nothing" Useless or ambiguous phrase or statement.
Sometimes extended to vox populi vox Dei ("the voice of the people [is] the
voice of God"). In its original context, the extended version means the opposite
of what it's frequently taken to mean: the source is usually given as the monk
Alcuin, who advised Charlemagne that nec audiendi qui solent dicere vox
vox populi "voice of the people"
populi vox Dei quum tumultuositas vulgi semper insaniae proxima sit, meaning
"And those people should not be listened to who keep saying, 'The voice of the
people [is] the voice of God,' since the riotousness of the crowd is always very
close to madness."[3]

[edit] References

1. ^ Michael Bush, "Calvin and the Reformanda Sayings," in Herman J. Selderhuis, ed., Calvinus sacrarum literarum
interpres: Papers of the International Congress on Calvin Research (Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2008) p.
286. ISBN 978-3-525-56914-6
2. ^ Cf. orbis terrarum
3. ^ Works, Letter 164. For the modern meaning look up vox populi in the Little Oxford Dictionary of Quotations.

[edit] Notes

1. ^ Cave Canem
2. ^ Exempli gratia (e.g.) and id est (i.e.) are commonly confused and misused in colloquial English. The former,
exempli gratia, means "for example", and is used before giving examples of something ("I have lots of favorite colors,
e.g., blue, green, and hot pink"). The latter, id est, means "that is", and is used before clarifying the meaning of
something, when elaborating, specifying, or explaining rather than when giving examples ("I have lots of favorite
colors, i.e., I can't decide on just one"). Both "e.g." and "i.e." should generally be followed by a comma, just as "for
example" and "that is" would be. See Dictionary.com and their discussion of commas for more information. Google for
"comma after i.e." for other opinions.
3. ^ Pollice Verso
4. A resource for Latin quote ideas.
5. ^ Oxford Dictionary of Quotations

[edit] See also

• List of Latin phrases

[edit] References

• Adeleye, Gabriel G. (1999). World Dictionary of Foreign Expressions. Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers, Inc. ISBN
0865164231
• Stone, Jon R. (1996). Latin for the Illiterati. London & NY: Routledge, ISBN 0-415-91775-1.